by Cinder
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All characters are the property of The Powers that Be. I just have fun with them.

"Tick" line lovingly quoted from the fantastic works by Bill Edlund.

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When last we left our intrepid heroes, Buster Kincaid had been swallowed by the monstrous maw of the deadly Blood beast of Gorth and Captain Proton had just used his last laser bolt to no effect. . .

"Rawwwwwr. . . " the deadly Blood beast roared, its bloodshot eyes pulsing hideously as it opened its mouth and advanced on Captain Proton, waving its engorged tendrils and snapping its claws. The smell of warm rubber filled the air.

"Yeechh!" said Captain Proton, and then: "Yow!" as he stumbled backwards and tripped over the remains of the Radio-Tronic Beam Expansion Capaciter that had been their only hope of contacting Earth once the ship had crashed. Now it lay in ruins, crushed by the frenzy of the Blood beast. The same Blood beast that had eaten his beloved Buster and was now about to eat him!

Captain Proton's hand closed around something hard and metallic. Without pausing to see what it was he swung it at the head of the advancing monster. The broken strut of the Capaciter antenna bounced off the monster's head with a decidedly unheroic 'boi-oi-oing' and flew from Proton's ungloved hand.

"Yoikes!" said the now weaponless Proton, shaking his stinging hand and then: "Yaaagh!" as he glanced up to see the segmented monster rear up on its hind limbs, about to swallow him whole. Except, just at that moment the monster seemed to stop in its tracks, a look of hideous puzzlement on its monstrous features. The puzzlement was mirrored on Proton's not so hideous features as they both looked at the creature's abdomen, which had begun to writhe and swell and swell and. . .

Realization struck both man and monster at the same moment, and 7 sets of eyes went wide with horrified anticipation -- but it was too late for either to escape what was coming, as, with a horrific

!!!!KA-SPLOORGE!!!!!

the Blood beast exploded.

Captain Proton, Defender of the Galaxy, lay where he'd landed, slightly dazed. Things were falling on him. All kinds of things: light things. Soft things. Little prickly things. Things that felt pleasantly like snowflakes only they weren't cold. And also decidedly less pleasant warm wet things that plopped on his face and oozed down under the collar of his jacket. Captain Proton opened his eyes.

Huge chunks of foam rubber rained from the sky, along with shreds of canvas, a blizzard of cotton mattress ticking and gallons and gallons of warm, sticky. . . whatever it was they used for Blood beast ichor. The ichor looked thickly black and glossy and he was covered with it.

But not as covered as Buster, who was standing a few feet away, hand still clutching the pointed metal shard with which he had fought his way free from the inside of the Blood beast. Buster was utterly drenched, swiping handfuls of tarry mattress ticking out of his hair and eyes and looking like the surprised victim of a futuristic tar-and-feathering.

Oh, the humanity. . . Captain Proton couldn't help himself. His body convulsed. Strange croaking sounds emerged from his throat. Buster glared down at him, balefully.

"Oh, yes," he said. "Hilarious." Captain Proton opened his mouth to offer sympathy but at that moment a big chunk of rubber Blood beast claw landed on Buster's head and stuck, causing another uncontrollable fit of guffawing to emerge from the Galactic Defender. A fit that went on at undignified length until a fat dollop of falling ichor landed in his open mouth sending Captain Proton spluttering and choking.

Eventually Buster Kincaid was able to stop laughing himself long enough to come to Proton's rescue. "You okay now?" Buster asked, kneeling beside his partner and slapping him heartily on the back.

"Swell," Proton wheezed, wiping ichor out of his teary eyes with his hand and then idly licking some off the side of his thumb.

"That's disgusting," said Buster, making a face.

"Actually," said Proton. "I think it's corn syrup." He licked his lips thoughtfully. "With cherry food coloring in it." Buster shook his head.

"It's supposed to be Blood beast ichor. Captain Proton wouldn't lick Blood beast ichor off his lips." Captain Proton looked up to find that Buster's face was only inches from his own. A hot little thrill ran through him.

"How about Buster's lips?" he asked. Buster opened said lips as if he was about to speak but nothing came out. Captain Proton took the opportunity to test a hypothesis. He leaned in and lapped gently at Buster's soft lips. And darned if his theory wasn't correct: the ichor did taste sweeter on Harry's lips. He wondered why that was? Perhaps more testing was in order. . .

"Wh-what are you doing?" Buster asked a little breathlessly when Proton released his lips for the second time. Buster's eyes were closed, his breathing a little shaky. Captain Proton felt a tad shaky himself.

"Not a clue, Har," he said, amazed that anyone could manage to look so beautiful with shiny monster goosh all over them and a rubber claw stuck on their head. Harry was a marvel. And also his best friend and not someone he should be. . . stringing along like this. . . They had after all agreed after the 'Web of Pain' incident that they needed to maybe step back a little, before things got out of hand. Which did nothing to explain why he leaned in for a third kiss that was sweeter still for tasting nothing at all like cherry corn syrup and everything like Harry.

Who pulled away.

"We should get cleaned up," said Buster, getting to his feet. "Get out of these clothes." Proton hesitated, looking at his friend. Decided maybe he better let Harry set the pace here, since he didn't seem to be able to help himself.

"Yeah," he said finally, getting to his own feet and clapping Buster on the shoulder. "A shower is definitely in order, Buster. And if we're lucky, Neelix is cooking up something that doesn't look, smell or taste anything like Gorthian Blood beast. . . " He expected a chuckle, but Harry was looking around, frowning.

"Something's not right," he said. "We kicked the monster's butt, we're heading off into the sunset -- where's the music? Where are the closing credits?"

"Good question," said Tom. "I hope this doesn't mean some major malfunction where the holodeck is occupied by aliens."

"Or when the holoprograms develop into intelligent life forms. . . "

"Ugh. Don't even think it, Harry. I hate it when that happens."

"Well, maybe there's something else we're supposed to do? Something we missed?" Harry said.

"The plots of these monster episodes aren't usually that complicated," said Tom, plucking the distracting rubber claw from Harry's head and holding it up for inspection. "I'm not sure what else there is to do with this guy except mount him and hang him on the wall."

"Well, what about subplots, recurring characters, long-running story arcs, that kind of thing," said Harry, looking around uneasily.

"Maybe -- except all our continuing villains are occupied. Chaotica's still in the Pits of Eternal Discomfort and Arachnia's stuck in the Mines of Madness until Chapter 50 at least. There just isn't anybody else smart enough, vicious enough or interested enough to try and put one over on us. . . "

"That's where you're wrong, Captain Proton," said a new voice. A slinky voice. A disturbingly familiar voice. "I am all those things and more -- I am a woman who does not appreciate being scorned. I will have my revenge." The two heroes turned to stare. The voice belong to a small but curvaceous woman sitting in a sedan chair carried by four hulking goons. Other hulking goons stood holding nasty looking laser weapons aimed right at them. The woman filling out the tight pink satin dress smiled seductively, her long, curving lashes dipping in a way that was nothing like demure.

"Serpentia!" said Buster, grimly.

"Darling Buster," Serpentia husked. "You don't sound happy to see me."

"You'll find that I am immune to your charms this time, Serpentia," Buster said forcefully enough to impress Captain Proton who felt another one of these hot little thrills coursing through him at the sound of Buster's no-nonsense voice.

Serpentia only smiled, however. A very wicked smile. "But that is where you are wrong, Buster Kincaid," she said. "Morglodytes! Take them." The ugly Morglodyte goons advanced on the unarmed and sticky Captain Proton and his faithful sidekick and soon had them in cuffs and chains, with only a few extra bruises.

"Where are you taking us, Serpentia," Captain Proton growled.

"You shall see," Serpentia said, laughing evilly. "But if you need a hint, I believe I have to agree with your earlier remark: a shower is definitely in order."

After being stripped and then hosed down, Buster and Captain Proton were chained up in Serpentia's dungeon to await their fate.

"As good as it tasted, you look better without the corn syrup," Proton observed, giving his sidekick's naked frame a sizzling once over.

"What is it with this program and nudity lately. Don't even tell me it was in the original."

Tom sighed. "You said racier."

"Yeah, well, I didn't mean us. I was thinking slave girls or something. Where the Hell is Constance anyway? And what's this with you saved the galaxy from Serpentia? I seem to remember me doing most of the saving back there in Chapter 37."

"Harry, Harry, Harry, you know how these things go. You're my sidekick. I'm the hero. I get all the glory. That's the way things are. Anyway, you're much better looking naked than a slave girl. Now, shove that manacle over here so I can pick the lock. I can't reach mine, but I think I can get to yours."

"I don't think you'll have the time," Serpentia purred from the doorway. She'd disappeared upstairs to change and now she was dressed in even less, if that was possible. A black merry-widow sculpted itself around her. On her feet were leather boots almost to the tops of the stockings.

"Okay, yeah, racier," Harry conceded.

"Do you approve, Buster?" she asked, tracing the line of his noble jaw with her forefinger.

"It's very you, Serpentia."

"Kiss me."

"Not in this lifetime, Serpentia!" He raised his chin gallantly. It earned him a hard slap.

"Hey! You're supposed to whip him this time!"

"Was that a request?" She turned her attention on the bold Captain. He stared defiantly back at her, his back straight, his shoulders thrown back, his legs splayed. Almost tenderly, she traced the center line of his chest.

"Maybe."

"Buster!"

"Well, it is your turn."

"Sidekicks always take the brunt of the torture. That's the way it is," Proton whined.

Buster ignored him. "I got your message, Serpentia. I led him straight to the monster, straight into your clutches. When you torture him, I want to help."

Gasp! Had Buster just betrayed him?!?

"Buster!" Captain Proton wailed. "You've joined the forces of evil? I don't believe it."

"Believe it," said Buster as, at Serpentia's command, a Morglodyte unbound him. The sidekick's hair had fallen rakishly across his eyes, which gleamed with new evilness. Another Morglodyte brought a black silk robe and draped it over Buster's shoulders.

"But. . . but why, Buster?"

"Well for one thing," said Buster, "the forces of Evil get to wear clothes. . . "

"Very funny," said the still-naked, still chained defender of the Galaxy.

"I thought so," said Buster, working to hide his grin as he tied his robe cozily around him. Well, as cozy as silk got, which was definitely cozier than nakedness. Buster noticed that Captain Proton's nipples had hardened to tight little buds in the chilly dungeon and he suddenly couldn't help imagining what it would be like to lean over and press his mouth to one. His mouth would feel hot to the man's chilled flesh. Proton would shudder. . . Harry swallowed in a suddenly dry throat, realized the captive was talking.

"But seriously Buster," Proton was saying, a bewildered look upon his face. "I don't get it. After all our years together, how can you turn your back on the Galaxy?"

Now Harry really had to fight to hold in his grin at Tom's genuinely perplexed expression. Well of course Tom hadn't been expecting this -- that had been the point of sneaking in and reprogramming Chapter 42 to include this little scenario. And Harry had been very careful to cover his tracks. . .

"Let's just say I got tired of you hogging all the glory, and me getting all the torture." Particularly the torture of knowing you want me as much as you want B'Elanna and can't make up your mind one way or the other. But no, no more brooding on that. He had come up with a plan to help Tom out with his dilemma and it was going to work.

"And what about my irresistible beauty," interrupted Serpentia with a pout. She moved sinuously over to stand beside him, running one gloved hand possessively over Harry's silk-covered shoulders while the other hand used the leather crop to trace a line down his silk covered front.

"Huh?" said Buster. "Oh, yeah. . . that too."

"Kiss me, my loyal subject," said Serpentia passionately. Buster started to shake his head in automatic refusal but on second thought Serpentia did smell pretty good and she felt pleasantly soft and jiggly pressed against his chest and her pouty little lips were very lush. And Tom was naked and helpless not two feet in front of him. And, aw heck, what was the point of playing evil if you didn't play it right. . .

And so he bent down and grabbed Serpentia up in a one-armed embrace and kissed her. And kissed her. And kissed her. . .

Somewhere, someone whimpered. Harry was pretty sure it wasn't him, because he was having a very nice time. But nice as it was, he didn't have all day -- he had evil plans to attend to. Plans that included a chained and naked Captain Proton.

He groaned and released Serpentia, noting briefly her heaving bosom, prettily smudged lipstick and dazed expression. She seemed to be attempting to say something but no words were coming out. Buster shrugged and turned his attention to his prisoner instead. The Galactic defender didn't have any lipstick to smear but he managed to mirror Serpentia's heaving chest and expression of glazed lust. Not to mention the signs of purely masculine arousal that Proton couldn't have hidden if he'd tried. Tom's mouth opened and shut a couple of times, but he too was apparently beyond words.

Heck, this evil stuff is fun, Harry thought. He leaned in, invading the space of his prisoner. "Cat got your tongue?" he purred into Tom's ear, grinning slyly. "Do you need me to loosen it for you?" Harry felt the heat as the Galactic Defender flushed to his toes.

"H-Harry. . . " Tom gasped. "What the heck are you playing at? Ohhhh. . . unnnngh. . . " The 'ohhhh' came from Harry sliding his tongue around the inside curl of Tom's ear and into the hollow. The 'unnnngh' came from Harry following the tonguing with a long, hot liquid breath. The chained Captain Proton helplessly nuzzled into Buster's relentless attack.

"Isn't it obvious, Proton?" Evil Buster said dropping his head to suckle at the side of Tom's tender throat. "You've been taunting me with that gorgeous body of yours for years but never coming through with the goods. After all these years of teasing and flirting and leading me around by the. . . the nose, I've finally cracked. Now I'm taking my revenge."

"What--oh," Tom gasped as Harry sucked on a particularly sensitive spot, chains rattling as he writhed. "What are you going to d-do to me?"

Despite Tom's obvious arousal, he actually sounded a little scared. Neither Harry nor Buster wanted that.

"Trust me, Tom," he whispered. "Nothing you won't enjoy. If you ever want me to stop just say. . . 'leola root stew' and I'll stop, okay?"

Tom snickered. "Yeah, the thought of leola root stew would put a damper on anyone's passion," he said, then gasped again as Harry -- happy to hear the relief in Tom's voice -- bit lightly at the now slightly bruised flesh under his mouth.

"Huh-hemmm," said a small, petulant voice behind them. Damn, Harry felt a momentary twinge of irritation, half-wishing he could just end the program and just keep making love to Tom as he'd dreamed of doing for months. But Tom would never allow that -- at least, not yet. And that was what the plan was for and that was why he had to tear himself away from the delicious neck of the man before him and return to the holocharacter.

"I'm sorry, my darling," Buster said dropping to his knees in front of the now scowling Serpentia. "I got so caught up in my excitement about our revenge plan that I forgot where I was. Can you forgive me?" He kissed her dainty hand, carefully not to stab himself on her long, shiny, pointy nails and batted his eyes in what he hoped would be a winning manner.

"Maybe," Serpentia said. "If you can convince me that you truly are my loyal subject now."

"I am, I swear it," said Buster, getting to his feet again.

"Prove it to me," said Serpentia. "Prove to me that Captain Proton's ideals of Goodness and Rightness mean nothing to you now."

"How?" Buster asked.

"By taking your brave and noble Captain Proton and using your 'talents' to reduce him to nothing more than a mindless, lust-mad sex toy with no desire but the pursuit of sensual pleasure." The image of a naked, writhing, lust-crazed Tom Paris that popped up in Buster's brain made his knees go all wobbly but he was saved from embarrassing himself by Proton's sudden yell:

"You fiend!" he cried as he lunged uselessly against his chains at Serpentia. "Buster," Proton went on desperately: "I appeal to any last shred of Decency left inside you, don't do it. Not just for me but for the Galaxy. If I'm a mindless sex toy, there'll be no one to defend Earth against Chaotica and Arachnia."

"Hey," Buster protested. "What am I? Chopped Targ liver?" And then realizing his slip added: "I mean, uh, Serpentia and I have plans for Earth. Don't we, oh sweetest of all evil confections?"

"We'll see," said Serpentia. With one fist on her hip and a skeptical expression on her face the evil temptress bore an uncomfortable resemblance to a certain red-headed starship captain who had once been persuaded to play Queen Arachnia. "For now I have other evil business to attend to," she went on. "I shall return in one hour. If Captain Proton is suitably. . . transformed. . . by the time I return you shall have my full trust."

"And if not?" Serpentia only smiled and shook her head slowly.

"Darling Buster," said she said huskily, tapping his chin with her riding crop. "If not, then I'm afraid I will have to use my talents and you will share the Captain's fate."

"Ulp," said Buster. And with that Serpentia turned on her tiny, stiletto heel and left the dungeon, leaving Buster alone with four hulking Morglodyte guards and a still chained, still-naked, still unbelievably gorgeous Captain Proton.

"Well," said Buster, finally unable to restrain his grin.

"Well," said Proton, breaking into a slightly nervous grin of his own. "You sure know how to surprise a guy. I never would have suspected you of all people to hack into a holoprogram and change the rules."

"That's what I was counting on," said Harry. "You underestimate me, Captain Proton."

"Apparently," said Tom. "Remind me of this next time we play poker."

"Oh, I don't think you'll have trouble remembering."

Tom laughed a little shakily. Swallowed audibly. Not scared, Harry decided. But definitely nervous. Excited. He could smell the high, sharp scent of new sweat as Tom shifted restlessly in his chains. He was still half-hard despite the chill air and the lack of direct stimulation. Harry took a moment to enjoy the scene, trying to remember why turning Captain Proton into a mindless sex toy would be a bad thing. All he could come up with was: a man could get used to this kind of power. Even if it's just pretend. The silence stretched a bit under Harry's watchful eye. It got to Tom first.

"So," he said. "What now?"

"Now?" the no-longer innocent seeming sidekick asked. "Why now, Proton, you learn the true depths of my treachery and the true meaning of surrender. Morglodytes!" Buster grinned evilly, "take him to the torture chamber and tie him to the hook!"

"Hook?" Captain Proton mouthed disbelievingly, but he was already being unchained and thrown over a brawny shoulder, his torso waving precariously over the back of one of the hulking brutes. Nice touch with the Morglodytes, Harry thought, really beats the goons from last time. Instead of immediately following, he first jogged up to Serpentia's chambers. She had promised clothes, real bad-guy clothes.

Lounging on a sleeping couch, Serpentia was idly playing with a fold of her gossamer robe.

"My Lady," Buster nodded as he entered, making for the outfit lying on the bed.

"You're not going to betray me, are you, Buster?" she asked distractedly.

"Why would you think that, my lady?"

"Indulge me. Tell me exactly why I have nothing to worry about."

Buster turned to her in the midst of pulling on a pair of black leather pants. "Do you want me to tell you or show you?" Slowly, he stalked over to her. "You know how beautiful I think you are." He lowered himself to the couch. Her nails were already raking his bare chest, leaving thin, red lines in their wake. "You know how much I love you." They kissed long and slow. Harry tried to concentrate, but in the back of his mind all he could think about was naked Tom waiting for him in the dungeon. He broke the kiss. "I'm going to go prove it to you now."

"Yes, prove it to me. Make him our slave."

He smiled, "Forever." Another kiss and he was up and off, "He'll be your love puppy by nightfall, Mistress." And then he made good his escape, leaving the rest of the outfit behind rather than wait any longer to see the object of his desire.

When he got to the torture chamber, Tom was indeed hanging from the hook, his body pulled taut. The balls of his feet rested on the floor, but his feet couldn't quite reach. He was straining for balance. After taking several deep breaths, Harry told him, "You should just relax into it, you know. That will make all of this easier."

"Never! I'll never give in to you!" Captain Proton snarled back at him.

"Have it your way." Buster prowled around him, admiring the straining muscles, the strong back and thighs, the tight buttocks. Pulling that lean body to him, he rubbed his leather clad groin against that oh-so-tempting ass. It yanked Proton's feet entirely off the floor.

"Harry!"

"Does it hurt?"

He was silent for a moment, his blonde curls bowed between his shoulders. "No," he finally whispered.

"Is it too much?"

"You won't let anything happen to me, right?"

He cradled the long, ivory body close. "Never. You're my friend. Nobody hurts my friend. Do you want to stop?"

The was an even longer pause, so long in fact that Harry reached for the ropes that bound Tom's hands. "No."

"No?"

"No, I don't want to stop." And the body relaxed in his arms. He could almost feel the humor and trust humming back down Tom's sinews. "Do your worst, traitor! Good will triumph in the end!"

It was the perfect moment. Buster cackled loudly, declaring brashly, "You will crumble beneath my evil will, Proton." Then he rubbed against that sweet ass again for good measure. Pulling away, he searched the implements along the wall. Everything he had programmed, a few whips and chains for show, but the ropes were what he was really after. Taking down a satin blindfold, he began.

"Do you remember the way I was tied in Chapter 37 when you walked in?"

"Was that when you turned to a life of evil, Buster?" Proton's head swung from side to side, trying to figure out where in the room Buster was by the sound of his footsteps.

"Oh, no, I was with you the whole time for that one. Remember in Chapter 40 when you struck out alone to save the galaxy from the evil Zorkin?" Buster began strapping him into a thick harness.

"Yeah?"

"Constance and I sat down and had a long talk."

"Constance Goodheart, my secretary?" Constance's theme music hummed briefly.

"Yes, her." Two long chains from the ceiling attached to hooks at Proton's waist and one pull of a level had his almost horizontal to the floor. "Did you know she's been a spy for Serpentia since like Chapter 20?"

"No!"

"Yes!" Two soft rayon and polyester ropes wrapped, one each, around Proton's ankles. Buster then threaded them through the eyebolts on the floor, splaying Tom's…Proton's legs wide. "You never did answer my question about Chapter 37. Do you remember?"

Very softly, "yes."

"That's very much what you look like now." Buster succumbed to the urge to kiss his precious Captain Proton, those beautiful coral lips. He ravaged them until they were swollen. "Does that arouse you, my Captain?" His voice had dropped to the low velvet of desire.

"You'll never break me!" But it was strained.

"You don't sound so sure." Those bronze hands boldly palmed Proton's body, pinched the erect little nipples. "Clamps do you think?"

"No. Hate nipple clamps."

He prowled again, the leather molding hot to his skin, trapping an erection almost painfully inside. Beneath Proton's body he could see a corresponding erection. Promising. Stepping between the muscled legs, he palmed the heavy balls. "Or we could stretch these." He bent low, feeling the shiver, and licked them, sucking them softly into his mouth until Proton was moaning continuously. "You like that idea?"

"Huh?"

Buster pinched his ass. "Stay with me, Proton." He smiled. "Can't fail the galaxy." At the same time he ran his thumbs down the cleft of Proton's ass. That earned him another moan. Stalking back around, he pulled that head up to kiss his friend again, a long, thorough kiss. "I'm going to suck you off so you can think again. You with me, Proton? We can't let Serpentia win, can we?" A moan met that. "You know if I ever do turn evil it's comforting to know it takes so little to turn you into a mindless slave," he whispered in Proton's ear with a chuckle. Then he knelt and crawled under the suspended body.

"Ohhhhh," moaned Captain Proton as the warm wet ring of Evil Buster Kincaid's mouth slipped over the head of his cock again. The slick soft heat was maddening and he desperately needed to thrust but of course he couldn't. Blindfolded, suspended in bindings so sturdy and comfortable he couldn't even struggle against them, there was nothing he could do to either help or hinder Buster's nefarious Blow Job of Doom -- all he could do was take it and take it and ohhhhh. . .

He didn't think he could take it any more. In the darkness, floating, there was nothing to focus on but the needs of his body and. . . ahhh. . . Harry. Gods. . . Harry!. Harry's soft, strong fingers drawing shivery lines across his heated flesh; Harry's hair tickling his belly; Harry's scent, mingling with leather and his own arousal like some drug in the air and Harry's mouth. . . oh gods, Harry's mouth on his cock -- all crazy heat and suction; tongue and lips and the blinding brilliance of teeth. Tugging and toying with him, finding all his secret pleasure spots, turning him inside out with need and keeping him on the edge for hours, centuries, millennia. . . Like nothing human. . .

"Wha'?" said Harry. His voice rumbled around Proton's engorged and hypersensitive organ, bringing the Galactic Defender to within a buck and a howl of the edge. Of course bucking and howling were out of the question. The best he could manage was a twitch and another long helpless moan. At which point, as if to drive him completely insane, the mouth withdrew.

"Aghhhhh. . . " Proton wailed. "Whaaaaa. . . ?"

"I thought you said something," Buster said. "Sounded like. . . Montezuma?"

//Montezuma?// Proton thought, but only for a second for at that moment the hot, wet slickness of a tongue licked his cock from base to tip, swirled around the head.

"Nnng," Proton managed. "Nuh. . . "

"Not 'Montezuma'?" Buster asked. The voice sounded so innocent. He could almost imagine Buster batting his eyelashes. And grinning wickedly. So. . . they were still playing, were they? Well two could pla. . . And again the thought was lost as that brazen tongue swirled again and then licked from tip to base.

"Bbbuh. . . " said Proton. "Puh-pluh-pleh. . . "

"Because," said Buster, while his tongue continued its delicate exploration of Proton's tightly furled testicles between words. "If I remember my ancient Earth history correctly," nibble, lick, "Montezuma was some kind of Aztec warrior or king or something," suck, lick, tickle, "who fought bravely against a superior enemy," lap, hot breath, probe which sent uncontrollable shivers through Proton's securely spread-eagled and helpless limbs.

//Can I die from this?// Tom wondered idly, not particularly caring as that tongue. . .

". . . but was eventually forced. . . " that tongue slipped mercilessly past Proton's balls to trail like molten gold along his perineum and farther back and. . .

"Oh. . . "

". . . to surrender."

Firm hands on his cheeks, Harry shifting beneath him. Hot breath at his most private place. . .

"So I wanted to check. . . "

. . . Harry's voice penetrating him to his deepest core. . .

"And make sure. . . "

. . . rocking him, igniting and that tongue. . .

". . . that you weren't trying. . . "

. . . in him, at him, relentless. . .

". . . weren't trying to surr. . . "

and who was making all that noise? Who was begging with his voice? Not Harry. . . he could hear, feel Harry talking but he had no idea what the words meant except that each word was electric, running through him, deep inside him like a current of raw electric pleasure and he was floating on it, straining, so close and he knew if he could, he would say anything, give anything to Harry because Harry was the one -- tongue, lips, hands -- Harry was the one making this possible -- hand closing around his aching cock, closing the circuit that was Harry and him and they were, Harry was. . . Harry. . . and without warning his orgasm slammed up through him like a solid fuel booster rocket blasting off and Tom and Captain Proton and all his little thoughts were blown into a million, glowing, shimmering pieces as he came.

Tom didn't really pass out, but he definitely. . . fugued. He felt floaty and golden and happier than he'd been in weeks. Or possibly ever. He was vaguely aware that he was grinning like a dazed maniac as Harry took off the blindfold, sponged him clean, kissed him and caressed him.

He was vaguely but very pleasantly aware of kissing Harry back. Vaguely aware of feeling a shiver of nervousness as Harry turned to the Morglodytes standing by the wall and then of giggling as the Morglodytes fall to their knees before him, chanting: "We're not worthy. . . " Warmth filled him at the sight of Harry's pleased blush when he turned back to Tom.

"Looks like the Buster Kincaid Testosterone Brigade just formed a local chapter," Tom said. He was still feeling a little breathless and giddy and all he wanted to do was share the happiness.

"I, uh, kinda forgot they were here," said Harry. He brushed a wayward curl off Tom's forehead and then bent to untie the ropes around his ankles.

"You too?" said Tom. "To be honest Harry, I've kind of lost track of the whole storyline here." Harry grinned up at him massaging Tom's ankles and then working his way up Tom's legs..

"I'm turning you into Serpentia's love slave," he said. Tom sighed.

"Oh yeah, right," he said. Then he chuckled. "Sorry to disappoint you Buster, but it isn't working."

"What?" Buster cried, incensed. "Proton, you were begging for it!"

"Nope," said Tom. "That wasn't Proton. The Defender of the Galaxy is totally immune to Evil Buster's wicked charms."

"Hah!" said Buster raising the chains and pulling Tom upright so that his feet rested on the floor. "I can't believe you would say that. You surrendered the keys to the Galaxy four times over. You offered me the President of Earth's personal authorization codes. Heck, you gave me the rocket ship, Tom. Look at you! You can't even stand up!"

That was true enough. Tom's knees were pleasantly wobbly underneath him and he had to lean on Harry for support as his friend untied his hands from the hook. Of course some of his wobbliness had to do with how hard he was laughing now. Harry's expression of mingled outrage and concern made it hard to stop.

"Oh Harry," Tom wheezed eventually. "You're going to kill me with that look. I didn't say everybody was immune to your charms. Tom Paris, for instance, can resist you about as firmly as a handful of Alpharian hair pasta. . . "

"I -- oh," said Harry. And then he said "Oh. . . " again as Tom wrapped his naked self around him and kissed him.

"Oh?" said Tom, kissing him again. There was something about Harry's mouth that demanded kissing. How had he ever resisted before?

"Well, yeah," said Harry. "I mean, Tom, are you admitting. . . I mean, are you saying that this isn't just part of the Captain Proton holoprogram? That this is. . . you and me?" The look on Harry's face was all concern now and Tom felt the deck shift a little under his feet. All the mixed feelings he'd been holding at bay for the last few weeks, months, maybe even years were right there, right at the edge of consciousness. He'd hoped it was just sex, that he could flirt and tease his way through this particular crush but now. . . Well, now without the edge of sexual tension the feelings had just gotten more intense. He could feel them skittering through him -- excitement, guilt, something he thought must be joy, something a lot like terror. . .

Part of him wanted to make a joke of it even now. To fall back into some overdramatic Captain Proton rant about evil and good and never giving in to temptation. Hell, for all he knew Harry would just let him do it. Let him bury both their feelings in fantasy and go on with things as they were. But did he want that? Much as he didn't ever want to hurt B'Elanna, was it really the noble thing to lie for all of them? And even if it was, could he still do it at this point? Did he want to?

"Tom?" Harry asked. And Tom looked into Harry's face, into eyes too dark with growing worry to read and knew.

"Yeah," he said softly. "This is you and me."

"I see," said a familiar, slinky, and now very pouty voice from the doorway. "Well it seems that you have forgotten the most important person on this planet. Which is to say, me. Which you won't soon forget again. Either of you! Morglodytes! Seize them again. . . "

"Oh no," said Tom, rolling his eyes at the vision of Serpentia standing in the doorway of the dungeon, clad in nothing but an elaborate contraption of red leather straps and strategically placed gold buckles, and holding a strange, tubular weapon in her tiny hand. "Computer, freeze--" he began.

"Wait," said Harry.

"Wait?" Tom asked incredulously as the Morglodyte guards moved in. "You mean you want to keep playing?"

"Well," Harry said sheepishly. "I did work really hard on this part. . . "

Harry stepped back, mentally assuming the role of Buster Kincaid again. He brushed his hands over his skin tight leather pants; Evil Buster Kincaid. "Wait, Serpentia! I've done as you've asked." He turned to his beautiful friend, pausing a moment to flay the ivory beauty with his dark eyes. "Kneel," he barked. Captain Proton, who was still wobbly, dropped heavily to the stone floor. "I would never betray you, Mistress. You know that." He turned back on Proton with a contemptuous flip of his sable haired head. "Kiss her feet."

A calculated pause and then Proton pressed reverent lips to the red, patent leather, stiletto heels.

"Serpentia," Buster stepped closer, taking her in his arms, "he's your slave, just as I am." He kissed her long and hard.

"Oh, yes, my pet," she purred. "You have done well." She tangled her razor sharp nails in Proton's blonde curls. "There can be no escape for Earth now! It will be mine!" She threw her head back and cackled evilly, showing off her long, white throat. "And you, my darling Buster Kincaid," she pulled him in for another kiss, "will rule by my side." Their tongues tangled passionately.

"And what am I? Chopped Targ liver?" a sweet voice called from the doorway. Constance Goodheart stepped into the cell, a ray gun trained on all of them.

"Constance," Serpentia purred, "how could you believe that your help would go unrewarded?"

"You said that I would rule by your side." The demure young woman raised the ray gun.

Subtly, Serpentia signaled her Morglodytes. "Of course you will. Buster will lounge at our feet like a pampered puppy and kiss our toes just like you wanted." The ray gun faltered and in that moment the Morglodytes sprang, wrestling Constance Goodheart to the ground. Buster grabbed the weapon.

"No!" Constance wailed.

"I told her, Constance," Buster preened. "I told her everything! She knows of your treachery!"

"I want to watch while you torture her, Buster," Serpentia announced.

"Of course, Mistress. It will be my pleasure." He very calmly turned the ray gun on her. "But I think you should know that although I told you all about Constance's treachery, I neglected to mention my own."

"No!" Serpentia wailed.

"Your evil plans have come to naught, vile villainess!" Buster stunned her and then turned on the Morglodytes, but they had already knocked Constance unconscious and were holding their meaty fists up in surrender, big grins on their toothsome maws.

"Don't shoot," the largest one squeaked. "We want to be your willing slaves forever, Buster Kincaid." Dropping to their knees they commenced worshipping him, which seemed to involve a lot of bowing and scrabbling their faces in the dirt.

Buster helped Captain Proton to his feet. "The galaxy is saved once again."

Striking his superhero pose, Proton announced, "Wherever Villainy rears it's great big head. Wherever evil sets its giant ill smelling foot. You will find, Captain Proton, Defender of the Galaxy!"

Theme music played and credits rolled. "Computer, end program," Tom called. "I've been waiting forever to do that."

"My hero," Harry laughed.

"No, my hero," Tom murmured back and kissed Harry tenderly. "I feel like I've seen you for the first time today."

"Excuse me?" Harry shoved him away.

"What's wrong?"

"Seen me for the first time? What? I've been the only one struggling with this?"

"I don't - "

Harry cut him off. "You know exactly what I mean. Playing Buster Kincaid has been absolute torture since our characters took a romantic path. You know it and I know it and I want to hear you admit it."

"Oh, yes, I mean that. Meant that. I…" Tom turned away and sat on a convenient stone bench. "Well, Har," he cleared his throat, "what are you going to do with a bunch of Morglodytes following you around in the next chapter?"

"What are you going to tell B'Elanna?" Harry crossed his arms.

There was long moment of silence before Tom looked up, grinning cheekily. "I asked you first."

Harry took a thoughtful moment to pick up the shirt on the floor that he had lost sometime during the program. "Nothing. I'm not going to do anything. I'm not going to play Buster Kincaid anymore, evil, good or otherwise."

"What?"

Harry continued almost as though Tom had said nothing. "I can't do it anymore." He paused for a moment as though to collect his thoughts. "I don't know when it happened, Tom, but I'm in love with you. I realized it recently and I can't continue to do this, have what I crave above all things week after week only to give you up again. It's not a game, it's a lie, and it's not fair to any of us. I'm sorry." Then Harry was out the door, shirt tails flying behind him. Tom could only gape after him.

---

End