The BLTS Archive - Triangulation
by CKC (ceekaicee@yahoo.com)

---
Triangulation: The location of an unknown point, as in navigation, by
the formation of a triangle having the unknown point and two known
points as the vertices.
---

Harry turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. He hadn't
heard his cabin door open, but he knew Tom was there a moment before
Tom appeared in the doorway.

"Hey, Harry..." Tom leaned nonchalantly against the jamb, arms crossed
over his chest, face deliberately neutral.

Harry smiled to himself, careful not to let Tom see - _So that's how
it's going to be, eh?_ he thought. _Okay..._ He would match Tom's
casual attitude, even if he strained something in the process.

"Oh. Hi, Tom..."

Harry grabbed a towel and bent over, his back to Tom. He took his time
drying his legs, moving his rear a little more than was strictly
necessary. He almost laughed when he heard Tom quickly draw in his
breath, but managed to stifle it before he straightened up. Still
facing away, he dried his chest and shoulders, then raised his arms
and slowly rubbed his hair. Tom groaned, and this time Harry couldn't
suppress his chuckle.

"You really are a tease..." said Tom, and Harry shivered in delight at
the edge of roughness in Tom's voice.

Harry turned, his heart skipping a beat, as it usually did, at the
sight of Tom - flushed, golden, and just slightly tense in the way
that meant he was as aware of Harry as Harry was aware of him.

"How can I be a tease?" He turned his back again and resumed his
pretense of drying off. "You know everything you see is yours, so I
can't..." The end of Harry's comment was muffled by Tom's mouth,
suddenly fastened on his lips. _Finally!_ he thought, and then allowed
himself to be thoroughly and completely kissed.

After a minute or two (he thought, but wasn't counting the seconds),
Harry drew back a little and smiled. "You've got twenty minutes to
shower and change. We're meeting B'Elanna at the resort." He
deliberately brushed against Tom as he freed himself, and grinned at
Tom's sigh.

"Okay, I'll bite. What's the occasion?" Tom sounded resigned.

"Nothing in particular," Harry replied, keeping his voice offhand.
"But we had a good time last week, and I thought it would be fun to do
it again." There was no way he would tell Tom what he had in mind -
yet.

He waited until he heard the water running before getting dressed -
just shorts and a tank top, but they had been carefully chosen to
compliment his deepening tan. The resort had certain advantages over
the dimness of Sandrine's. And, he reminded himself, insisting on
honesty, he had also chosen these clothes to show off the muscles in
his shoulders and thighs that Tom admired in so many interesting ways.

Tom... Harry smiled to himself. Three weeks ago he would never have
dreamed that their friendship could have so quickly blossomed into...
whatever this was. Harry carefully did not call it 'just sex,' or
'love,' or anything else - he hardly dared acknowledge what he had in
mind - to label it would smack of premeditation and manipulation.

But that night on Taresia had changed Harry's perception of himself,
showed him the fallacy of many of his long-held self-images. After he
and Tom had left the mess hall, still bantering, they stopped in Tom's
room. Harry still blushed at the thought.

That first night back on Voyager, all he could think of was to confess
to Tom the self-absorbed words he had said on Taresia - wanting to be
special -- thinking, in some way, that he couldn't be his parents'
child... His face burned in remembered shame, and he squared his
shoulders, almost physically shaking off the memory.

The water stopped, and a minute later Tom appeared in the door,
toweling himself off. This time Harry couldn't suppress his groan at
the sight - lean muscles playing beneath that fair skin which showed
every tell-tale flush of desire, damp tousled barley-colored hair that
would only lay smooth with coaxing and curses, and a rampant erection
Tom was making no move to hide. "What's the matter, Harry?" Tom
grinned, but his voice was raspy. Harry swallowed hard when he met
Tom's eyes - all the devil-may-care attitude, all Tom's carefully
erected barriers were down, and Harry knew he couldn't tease him now.
It still took time for Tom to step outside the facade he had created
and maintained for so many years, and Harry would not jeopardize the
honesty in their hard-won relationship.

In three steps, Harry had him in his arms, and was kissing Tom with a
vigor that surprised him. Tom returned the kiss enthusiastically and
pulled Harry closer, his erection sandwiched between them. When Tom
began squirming purposefully, Harry broke off their kiss and pushed him
down on the bed, landing between Tom's legs.

"But we're supposed to... B'Elanna..." Tom began, but his voice
suddenly failed when Harry started to feather kisses up the side of
his erection. Tom's hands moved reflexively toward Harry's head, and
Harry intercepted them. He laced his fingers in Tom's and held them
against the bed as his kisses turned to licks. Tom's hips rose and
fell rhythmically, and he made tiny noises of desire that grew when
Harry closed his mouth over the rosy head of his erection and sucked
gently.

Harry loved this - knowing that he could give Tom such pleasure,
knowing that Tom wanted him -- and yet the entire situation was still
so new that at times he couldn't believe it was happening. Tom's
increasingly frantic movements delighted Harry, and he speeded up his
own in response, eliciting a wordless cry from the man beneath him.
Their hands twisted together on the bed, fingers flexing, struggling
to maintain their stalemate, mirroring the writhing of Tom's body.
Tom's cries rose and blended into one long wail of unreleased need
which sang in Harry's heart.

_Now,_ he thought, and sucked almost roughly, holding Tom's hands
firmly against the bed while Tom bucked uncontrollably and cried out
in release. Harry kept his mouth in place until the tension completely
left Tom's body, and Tom lay limp on the bed and on his tongue.

Tom groaned, and his hands scrabbled at Harry's shoulders until Harry
slid up the bed. Tom traced Harry's slick lips with a quivering
finger, while Harry stroked Tom's long smooth back and shoulders.

"You are..." Tom shook his head slightly, as if words failed him. "I
know I have the reputation of a rake, but I've never, anywhere, met
anyone like you." He pulled Harry closer and kissed him gently. "You
know, B'Elanna's gonna kill us for being late."

"It's all right. We've still got half-an-hour..."

"But you told me twenty minutes," Tom protested.

"I said you had twenty minutes to shower and change. I had other plans
for the rest of the time..." He grinned and kissed the tip of Tom's
nose. "I didn't think you'd object."

"Half-an-hour?" Tom suddenly twisted around, pinning Harry beneath him
on the bed. "That's plenty of time..." he said, a ghost of a grin on
his lips.

"Tom..." Harry was already becoming breathless, and a suspicious
warmth was settling deep in his belly, but this was supposed to be
time for Tom, not for him. "We've really got to get ready..."

Tom rubbed himself against Harry's groin and smiled as Harry writhed
and groaned. "You're ready, Harry. It won't take long..."

Before Harry could protest further, Tom had pulled his shorts and
briefs off, and was running gentle fingers up and down the length of
his erection. Harry tried to say Tom's name, but nothing came out, so
he just settled for loud gasps. Tom grasped Harry more firmly, and
licked the tip of his penis, and Harry felt like his body was going to
incinerate in one blinding flash of light. His hips moved, his back
arched, but he had no conscious volition over the movement - he moved
simply because he had to.

Then Tom sucked him into his mouth. Harry cried out at the heat, the
pressure, the connection that was forged between them, and came
explosively.

When he was aware of himself and his surroundings again, Tom's arms
were around him, his around Tom, and his face was nestled in the
sweet-smelling angle between Tom's neck and shoulder. Harry inhaled
deeply, then kissed the flushed skin.

Tom drew back and looked at Harry appraisingly. "You'll live," he
pronounced, as if it didn't really matter to him one way or another.

_Damn!_ thought Harry, _so soon..._ But he just returned Tom's look,
trying to see past the indifference. Harry wondered if Tom would break
off their connection by getting up, but he lay quiet in Harry's arms.
For a long moment nothing happened - Tom just looked unconcerned. As
Harry peered deeper, something in Tom cracked and gave, and Tom's face
suddenly turned mobile - color suffused his cheeks, his mouth opened
to suck in a shuddering breath, and the expression in his eyes left
Harry stunned. Then a small crease appeared between his brows, his
mouth twisted, and Tom lowered his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Fear pricked him, but Harry kept his voice soft,
unthreatening. His hands moved gently, comforting rather than
arousing. "Tom?"

"Just... just looking at you... makes my bones shake..." Tom rasped,
his chest heaving.

Understanding dawned. "And that frightens you..." Harry whispered.

"A lot..." Tom's struggle to control himself was obvious - Harry
watched, amazed, as Tom finally managed to don his usual mask of
detachment.

"Is that why you put on your nothing-touches-me face?"

He felt Tom stiffen in his arms, but he continued his unhurried
caresses until Tom relaxed a fraction and snorted. "Yeah. I guess it's
habit." "It seems like," Harry began, carefully choosing his words,
"you've been using it more lately... since we've been together."

Tom was still and Harry held his breath. Then Tom nodded once, a
staccato jerk. "If... if I show too much," he grimaced and shook his
head, "...if I show how much you mean to me, then... something
will..." He stumbled into silence.

"Something will happen to us?" finished Harry, and Tom nodded.

"Every time I get what I want most, something happens... I screw up,
or they leave." Tom's eyes grew dark, and his lips trembled. "I'm
trying really hard not to screw up... and I don't want you to leave,
Harry."

"I won't. I promise." Harry held Tom so close that he could feel the
blood pounding through Tom's body, and felt the moment when Tom
surrendered and relaxed in his arms.

Tom sighed. "You know, B'Elanna's really gonna kill us..."

"You're right." Harry gave Tom a quick kiss and rolled over to find
his shorts. "Hurry up and get some clothes on, and maybe she'll only
insist that we listen to Klingon opera..."

---

_The only thing that could make this worse,_ decided B'Elanna, pacing
in front of the resort bar, _would be for those two to show up
smelling of sex..._ The image of Tom and Harry touching each other,
curling fingers, opening lips, crying out...

Her face grew warm, her breath quickened, and she hastily shut down
that thought.

"Computer, time," she demanded, then saw them hurrying toward her. She
ignored the computer's answer and stood, arms crossed over her chest,
watching them approach. Harry looked embarrassed and contrite, Tom
looked - her eyes narrowed - almost defiant. And she caught their
scent -- it was obvious they had just had sex.

"B'Elanna," Harry began as they approached, "I'm sorry we're late..."
His voice trailed off and he blushed.

There was a pause.

Tom raised his chin and looked at her, his eyes almost accusing her
of... what? But when he spoke, his voice was soft. "Sorry we made you
wait, B'Elanna. It was my fault. Guess I'm a bad influence..."

She made a noncommittal grunt and turned. "Well, let's get going..."

They flanked her, Tom on the left, Harry on her right, and kept up
with her brutal pace through the gardens. B'Elanna didn't notice the
brilliant flowers and verdant foliage - it was all she could do not to
turn around and smack them both. For what? She wasn't sure, but the
suspicion crept in that it had something to do with Tom resisting her
advances when she was sick with that weird hormonal thing, and his
words to her in the turbolift about not being afraid of her Klingon
side... and now here he was in a relationship with Harry... who had
been so concerned when she had been injured with the plasma burns, and
who had looked so appealing with those spots...

She stopped abruptly at the garden wall. "Well?" She glared at Tom.

He sighed theatrically. "Computer, begin subroutine Paris Delta Vee
three."

The wall shimmered briefly, then was replaced by a magnificent vista
-- slopes of thick emerald foliage plunged toward a turquoise sea. A
narrow band of foam-flecked black sand bordered the water and sparkled
under the bright sunlight.

B'Elanna leaned forward, eyes wide. It seemed even more beautiful this
time -- perhaps the initial shock of the program had worn off, and she
was able to appreciate the details, perhaps she was more receptive to
the beauty, perhaps she could clearly see what she was missing... She
mentally shrugged. For whatever reason, the scene moved her, almost
painfully. She hated it. She loved it. _Damn them._

"This really is beautiful," said Harry softly, and his hand crept over
to Tom's. When their fingers twined together, she turned away and
looked out over the cliff again.

"Nice job, Paris," she said, allowing a little of what she felt to
resonate in her voice.

"Thanks," he replied, and his off-hand tone set her teeth on edge. She
clenched her hands and plunged down the steep path partially hidden in
the broad leaves.

The path ended twenty meters later at a small, flat, grassy parcel of
land carved out of the mountain-side. Three colorful pairs of wings
were precisely arranged across the ledge: red, yellow and blue. The
wings were actually thin, flexible rods covered with a diaphanous
fabric, with a small harness in the middle. B'Elanna crossed to the
furthest wing, the blue one, and started to undo the fastenings on the
straps.

"Hey!" Tom shouted behind her. "Have you checked out your glider
assembly already?"

She flung down the straps and turned to him, hands on hips. "No, I
haven't." He and Harry walked across the grass, still hand-in-hand.
B'Elanna swallowed hard. "And I don't see why we have to waste time
checking these things out anyway... This is supposed to be fun, not
another assignment!"

Tom stopped, his face neutral. "Computer, ensure optimal assembly
parameters for glider A." He dropped Harry's hand and moved toward the
red wing. "You're all set, B'Elanna. Have fun." The words sounded like
a curse.

She stood still for a moment, speechless with anger at Tom's insolent
tone, wondering if there was any way she could get out of there
without hurting Harry's feelings. Then Harry was beside her, his hand
resting gently on her arm.

"Can I help you harness up?" He smiled at her tentatively, those rich
dark eyes wide and pleading. She didn't shake off his hand, and he
seemed to take that as a good sign. "B'Elanna," he murmured, squeezing
her arm slightly, "please don't leave. We both want you to stay." She
snorted, not trusting her voice. "We do," he continued, "it's just
that sometimes Tom... he sometimes..." His voice trailed off.

"Yeah." She nodded, eyebrows raised, not even trying to hide her
sarcasm. "He sure does."

"B'Elanna..." he entreated, then stopped, suddenly looking so
miserable that she cupped his chin in her hand and wanted, more than
anything else she had wanted for almost a month, to kiss him.

But she didn't. Instead, she smiled gently and released him.

"I'd like to stay, Spot." She paused, glancing over his shoulder to
see Tom gazing at them, his face as blank as a mask. She murmured,
"And don't worry, I'll cut him some more slack..." _As if I haven't
cut him enough slack already._ But she didn't add that.

Harry's help wasn't really necessary, but B'Elanna suffered it
silently and even managed to thank him when the last fastener was
cinched and the wing perched lightly on her shoulders.

She stepped carefully to the edge, then glanced over at the other
wings. Tom was methodically going over the red wing, checking
fastenings, struts and fabric. Harry stood beside him, speaking
quietly but intently. She couldn't hear what he said, but Tom suddenly
turned to Harry and nodded once, then reached up and drew a single
finger down the side of Harry's face.

Her chest was filled with a burning weight and she couldn't breathe
for a long moment. _I can't stand this..._ She looked out over the
water, blinking rapidly. _I must've gotten some grit in my eyes... Oh,
hell..._ And she jumped.

In the two seconds before the thermal caught her, she plummeted toward
the cliffs. As she jerked and began to rise, she was almost resentful
- then remembered the safeties were on and she wouldn't have died
anyway. No, she was glad she had caught the thermal, and swung herself
into flight position. _Tom would've made my life miserable if I had
crashed,_ she thought, and could almost hear his mocking tone and
words.

Her irritation only lasted another minute, as the quiet exhilaration
of her flight began to work itself into her soul. She soared out to
sea, then banked and turned inland in time to see Harry launch himself
over the edge. She watched, breathless, until the thermals caught him
and he began to rise and circle. A movement on the ledge caught her
eye - Tom stood at the brink, watching Harry's red wing glide out to
sea. For a heartbeat she was convinced that he would step off that
ledge without his wing, plunging to his death, safeties be damned. She
had even drawn breath to shout at him - not that he would have heard -
but she didn't realize that until later.

Tom suddenly looked up at her, and she could see him go very still.
Then he raised his hand and waved, and she thought he was smiling. So
she waved back, swooping close to the ledge, but not so close that she
lost the thermals - Tom had warned her about that their first time
out. With the feeling that some nagging weight had been lifted off her
shoulders, she continued her arc, turning back toward the sea.

When she headed back toward the shore, Harry passed below her, heading
out to sea. Tom had already taken off in the yellow wing, and he
started making easy loops right off the cliff to gain altitude.

Silent and swift, B'Elanna raced along the cliff edge, banking at the
last minute to turn 180 degrees and hurtle back the way she had come.
It was liberating, it was glorious...

Harry's wing scribed long, lazy ovals as he rose on the thermals. Once
he had gained enough height, he would dive toward the waves, shooting
across the water in a mad dash, curving back into the thermals in time
to ride them back up again.

Tom stayed high, and when she looked up, B'Elanna could see him
hovering above her. _Always out of reach..._ Then he suddenly dove
steeply and performed a complicated and elegant maneuver that she knew
no one else would ever manage to recreate. Seemingly against gravity,
he ascended to hover again.

They flew for an hour. B'Elanna was the first to slowly descend and
land on the beach, where she unfastened her harness and sat on the
ebony sand, watching Harry, then Tom set down. After slipping out of
their harnesses, they both staggered a little as they walked over to
her - it felt strange to have solid ground (or solid deck, she
corrected) beneath your feet.

Before either Tom or Harry could say anything, she smiled and launched
into her prepared, albeit sincere, speech. "That was wonderful! Thanks
for inviting me to join you again." She turned her head just enough
that she could see the waves, rather than their faces, and continued.
"I'm sorry if I was a little short with you both earlier... I guess
it's the usual - too much work and not enough r & r. But I'm glad we
could do this..." Her voice trailed off, uncertain. She glanced at the
two men, now sitting side-by-side only a meter away.

They mirrored each other - legs crossed, arms resting on knees, elbows
touching, even their heads tilted at that precise angle peculiar to
humans... The pain that pierced her was so sharp, so unexpected she
gasped, then scrambled to her feet.

"B'Elanna?"

"Are you all right?"

They spoke at the same time, the same expression of bewildered concern
on their faces as they rose.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied. "I just got a cramp in my leg," and she
even went so far as to rub her calf unconvincingly.

Tom got to his knees. "Let me have a look at that," he spoke
authoritatively. B'Elanna wasn't expecting his offer of help and
backed away.

"I'm fine - it's feeling better already."

"But," began Harry. Before he could say more, B'Elanna called for the
arch. "I've still got a million things to do," she called over her
shoulder. "See you at the staff meeting tomorrow..."

When the doors closed behind her, she felt as if a part of her had
been amputated - severed cleanly by the sliding doors. _They're a
couple now, Torres,_ she scolded herself, _get over..._

She stopped abruptly in the middle of the corridor, oblivious to the
fact that she caused Geron to practically do a full pirouette to avoid
bumping into her.

_Get over what? There was nothing to get over..._ The surge of
bitterness she felt at that thought surprised her.

---

Tom stared after her, his hand blindly reaching for Harry's. When
their fingers twined together, he closed his eyes and lifted Harry's
hand to his lips, brushing them over the soft skin on the back of his
hand, turning it over to kiss the warm, tender patch on the inside of
his wrist.

He could feel Harry's pulse quicken, and opened his eyes to view the
faint glow that crept up Harry's cheeks and down his throat. His
breath caught at the sight of Harry looking at him with such
tenderness and affection. Tom knew the word he wanted to use to
describe that look, but Harry had never said that, and of course Tom
couldn't say it first, so... But now, he could almost believe that
Harry felt that way, and the thought made his stomach tighten and his
breath quicken.

"I'm worried about B'Elanna. She seemed really edgy, didn't she?" said
Harry, and Tom's stomach plummeted, like a glider that lost the
thermals. Had Harry been thinking about B'Elanna when he looked at
Tom? Was that why he looked so radiant? _Please, no..._ But Harry was
expecting an answer - he had to say something.

"Yeah," he agreed, and dropped Harry's hand, turning toward the sea.
"But she seemed to enjoy the gliding, at least for a while."

He felt rather than heard Harry step behind him, felt Harry's warmth
against his back. Then his arms were around Tom and he was kissing the
soft place below Tom's ear. Before he could think, Tom leaned back
into Harry's embrace and pressed himself against Harry's chest. It
felt so good, but... His mind kicked in, and he abruptly stepped out
of Harry's clasp.

"Our time's up," he said, not caring that his voice was harsh, almost
grating. "I'm going to get some dinner." He wasn't hungry, but the
mess hall was public, and he wouldn't have to be alone with Harry
there. "Computer, end program." Tom all but ran toward the door.

"Wait," called Harry, and he caught up with Tom as they entered the
corridor. "What do you think you're doing?" There was an edge to his
voice that Tom seldom heard.

"Getting some dinner," muttered Tom, staring straight ahead. He was
totally taken off guard when Harry grabbed his arm and shoved him back
against the bulkhead. Harry faced him, nose to nose, his hands flat on
the bulkhead on either side of Tom's head.

"What is the matter?" Harry's voice was low, but his anger and
frustration were apparent. "What's wrong?"

Tom shot Harry an anguished look before donning his mask of
detachment. It was a struggle, it hurt - gods, it hurt so much to shut
him out. But he had to. When he had it in place, he looked at Harry
again.

"Harry?" Tom was stunned. There was anger in Harry's eyes, yes, but
also... fear. "Harry?" he repeated, grabbing his arms.

"Please, don't shut me out," Harry whispered, eyes wide with fright.
"Don't do this to me, Tom."

"Oh, shit..." Tom closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the
bulkhead. He suddenly felt exhausted. "I'm screwing up again. I'm
sorry..."

"Don't be sorry!" Harry grabbed Tom's head and Tom opened his eyes to
see a frantic, desperate Harry. "You're not screwing up. I just need
to know what I can do to help." Harry pulled his face forward and
kissed him, hard. "I want to help, Tom. Please, don't push me away..."
And his voice cracked on the last word.

Tom thought his heart would break - how could he be so selfish, to
frighten Harry that way? He was so worried about Harry leaving him
that he couldn't see what his actions were doing to Harry. Oh, he was
screwing up, big-time...

"No, I'd never do that," he murmured, and gathered Harry in his arms,
drawing him close. "Oh, Harry, I didn't mean to -- I'll never push you
away..." Harry's arms crept around Tom's waist. Tom hesitated, feeling
Harry shivering in his clasp. "I just... I can't..." Tom shook his
head, frustrated that the words wouldn't come.

Tom held Harry until he stopped shivering, gently stroking his back
and cradling Harry's head against his shoulder. The sound of
approaching voices traveled down the corridor. _Damn..._ All he and
Harry needed was to be the subject of more gossip.

"C'mon, Harry..." He kept one arm wrapped around Harry's shoulders and
steered him away from the voices toward the turbolift. Harry was
silent and docilely let himself be led, but his arm slid around Tom's
waist again, then, once they were alone in the lift, dropped lower to
cup his rear.

Yes, that's where Harry's warm hand belonged... Tom directed the lift
to deck four, then sighed and tilted his head to rest against Harry's.

Tom didn't speak again until they were in his quarters, however; small
talk was beyond him at the moment. When his cabin door shut behind
them, Tom turned to Harry and kissed his cheek gently. Harry quickly
and unexpectedly twisted, facing Tom, and grabbed his arms.

"Why?" His voice was soft, but his eyes were onyx, hard, glinting in
the light. There was no mistaking it - Harry wanted, no, he demanded
an answer. "Why do you shut me out?"

Tom stared at him helplessly. How could he answer that? It was not
something he chose to do - or, at least, it had been second nature to
don that mask until... until Harry and...

"I told you," he replied as softly. "I always screw up."

Harry gripped him tighter, almost shaking him. "No - you -- aren't."
With a gasp that sounded suspiciously like a sob, he roughly hugged
Tom. "You aren't screwing up, but when you put on that mask and banish
me - I thought I could be patient, and wait, and that gradually you'd
let me in..." His grip was painfully tight, but Tom moved closer,
drawn as much by the anguish in Harry's voice as by his clasp. "But I
can't wait, I can't be patient, Tom... I love you too much, and I just
- can't - stand it..."

Tom couldn't speak - his throat simply wouldn't work. Harry's
admission that he - Tom - meant something to him, that Harry wanted to
be with him, wanted to share his thoughts, wanted to share himself...
That he loved him... Tom blinked, and shook his head, as if to clear
it. It was overwhelming.

With a sigh, he buried his face in Harry's hair, running his lips over
the silken fall, kissing him, inhaling his scent, revealing more of
himself to Harry than he had ever dared show to anyone, ever. He
murmured Harry's name between kisses, gathering up courage to voice
what he had wanted to say for a long time...

"Love, I won't shut you out... I'll try so hard not to..." He drew
back slightly and cupped his hands around Harry's cheeks, staring
directly into those velvet eyes. "But if I do, it's a mistake, a habit
- I don't mean to. I don't want to hurt you, Harry, and I'll never do
so willingly." He paused, and Harry turned his head and kissed Tom's
palm. The feel of Harry's soft lips, the tickle of his warm breath,
made the words catch in Tom's throat. "I... I love you so much..."

Then there were no words, just sounds that, although they had no
specific meaning, were nevertheless clearly understood by both.

---

B'Elanna roughly slapped the cylindrical magnetic capacitor housing,
and it slid obediently back into its tight-fitting coupling. She
stared at it for a moment, then laughed humorlessly under her breath.
_At least you can still manage to get tab A into slot B..._

Then Tom's voice, saying "But we're not going to do that," echoed in
her mind. _No, Tom certainly spoke the truth when he said that,
despite his seeming capitulation once Chakotay ordered him to... to
help me._ Had he agreed that he wanted her, was attracted to her just
to make sure she didn't tear him up?

Again she heard "Is this when we throw things?" and closed her eyes in
shame. Of course he didn't want her - that was typical Tom humor -
when the going gets tough, the tough make a smart-ass remark. _No
wonder he can barely stand to look at me,_ she thought, opting for one
massive self-pitying wallow before banishing Tom from her mind
forever, _I practically raped him, with our commanding officer's
permission. And he wanted to be with Harry all along..._

"Oh, hello, Lieutenant. I didn't expect to see you here this evening."
A fresh-faced and blushing Ensign Freddie Bristow appeared at her
side, taking her by surprise, and she quickly rose. He continued with
a noticeable edge to his voice. "I thought you were spending the
evening with Lieutenant Paris and Ensign Kim..."

"We broke up early," she began, before realizing how that sounded.
"That is, I decided to check on those anomalous capacitor readings
since things are fairly quiet..." Her voice trailed off. Why was she
trying to justify being in Engineering to Bristow? She was the Chief,
and it was none of his goddamn business when she was in her own
department.

He lifted the tray of tools he carried. "I was going to do the same
thing..." And he smiled.

"I commend your initiative, Ensign," she replied, trying to be pleased
at his actions, instead of wishing him on another ship, preferably in
another galaxy, so she could be alone in her misery. She turned back
to the open panel. "Now, if you'd hand me the..."

---

Tom propped his head up on his hand and looked at Harry sleeping
beside him in the bed. He was curled on his side, facing Tom, arms and
legs tucked close to his body. A heavy wing of dark hair flopped over
his forehead, and Tom gently brushed it back, feeling the expected,
and welcome, surge of protectiveness that filled him at the thought of
Harry. _He looks about fifteen, and as innocent as a choir- boy..._

But that wasn't the real Harry. Tom knew Harry wasn't malicious, or
devious, or manipulative, but he suspected - had suspected for a few
days - that Harry was trying to... direct events in some way. He
wasn't positive of this; it was only a feeling, after all, but once or
twice he had detected a brief flash of calculation in Harry's usually
open countenance. That was unusual enough, but Tom had learned to
trust his intuition regarding being manipulated, and his warning
signals were lighting up like beacons.

As to exactly what Harry was planning, Tom couldn't begin to guess -
not yet -- and Harry obviously had no intention of revealing his
plans. Tom just grinned to himself, confident he could discover what
Harry had in mind long before Harry got around to telling him. After
all, Harry wanted Tom to be more open with him, so why shouldn't Harry
be more open with Tom?

Harry sighed and shifted in his sleep, rolling onto his back, arms and
legs sprawling. Tom gently lifted Harry's left hand and brought it to
his lips, careful not to wake Harry. He studied the long fingers,
relaxed and slightly curled, remembering how Harry's strong clasp
anchored him in the Akritarian prison. And now Harry provided a
different kind of anchor, especially after that disastrous,
frightening, frustrating... exciting and promising time with ...

_Enough._ Tom lay back and closed his eyes, although he kept hold of
Harry's hand. _It was over before it started._ Now he couldn't shake
the feeling of being slightly drunk, blind and weightless; the events
of the past few weeks left him happy and prey to regrets, bewildered
and satisfied, unsure about himself and supremely confident. When had
it started?

He knew exactly when. With Harry, rescued from Taresia, telling the
story of Odysseus to Neelix and him... Harry, wishing he could be more
like his best friend... And he, Tom, almost giddy with relief at
Harry's close call, confided how much he admired Harry, although he
managed to say it in such a way that Harry thought he was just joking.
He had tried sincerity with B'Elanna, and that had backfired so badly
he wasn't ever going to try it again...

He put his hand on Harry's shoulder as they walked down the corridor.
He couldn't help himself. He kept up the prattle of nonsense he had
started - "Yeah, polite, and tidy. And really, really organized..."
They both laughed as he kept this up, and he shied away from what he
desperately wanted to say - "I admire you for your strength and
constancy, your honor and honesty, for the sweetness of your nature
and kindness of your heart... I love you..."

They reached Tom's room, and Harry darted him a glance, suddenly
solemn, and walked in. He followed, pondering that look, waving Harry
into a chair while he collapsed on the sofa.

"Drink?"

"No, thanks." Harry leaned forward, his hands clasped between his
knees, staring at the deck.

He wanted to ask what was the matter, wanted to demand to know what
was bothering Harry, but he couldn't. Like with so many other things
he wanted to say, he could say nothing. So he leaned back, pretending
to relax, and waited.

"Tom..." Harry hesitated. "When I was on Taresia, when I thought I
might be one of them, I said some things..." His voice trailed off.

"Don't worry about it, Harry. The way they messed up your DNA, it's no
wonder you were confused."

"No. I wasn't confused. I was so... so self-absorbed. So egocentric."
He sprang from the chair and paced to the port, turning to stare out.
"I knew I couldn't be just plain Ensign Kim. I had to be special." He
practically spat out the word. "I denied my parents and their
sacrifices and love. I even resented the fact that I'm just an ensign
- I felt that the Captain, that someone should realize my talents and
gifts..."

"Don't do this." He unconsciously followed Harry over to the port, and
his hand hovered a few centimeters from Harry's shoulder, not
touching, but sending comfort despite the distance. "You weren't
yourself, you were two people battling for Harry. And I know for a
fact that everyone on the ship thinks you're special..." He abruptly
bit off the end of his sentence, frightened that he was revealing far
too much. He dropped his hand like it burned and turned away, taking a
step toward the sofa.

"Tom."

He was instantly paralyzed. "Yeah?" He kept his voice casual, but
didn't turn back. He wasn't sure he could keep his face blank as well
- something was surfacing from inside him, something he had been aware
of for some time, but which only demanded his attention over the past
twenty-four hours. It was like a bubble of air, released deep in the
water, slowly but inexorably rising to the surface. It frightened the
hell out of him.

"There's more. Last night I woke up and they - the two who wanted to
be my wives - were there."

He tried a rakish laugh. "There are men who would've paid to be in
your place." A rustle, the soft susurration of rubbing cloth came from
behind him. His back tingled with the warmth - real or imagined? -- of
Harry standing there.

"But it was wrong," Harry muttered. "They weren't..."

Tom waited, not daring to move, afraid that if he touched Harry now he
would shatter, like hot glass in cold water; afraid that if he didn't
touch Harry now he would ossify, then gradually, almost imperceptibly,
erode into dust. Harry rested a hand on his shoulder and he gasped and
shivered, unable to suppress his reaction.

"Tom, I knew then what I wanted." Harry's warm breath stirred the
hairs at the nape of his neck, and he swayed, then stiffened his knees
to remain upright. Harry's fingers dug into his shoulder. "Are you all
right?"

"Yeah." He desperately clamped the mask of indifference over his
features before he turned to Harry, but felt it slip as he met Harry's
eyes. "So, what did you want?" he said, practically choking out the
words.

Harry kept his hand on his shoulder, and the corners of his mouth
curled up a few millimeters. "You."

The mask dropped as Harry drew his free hand down the side of his face
-- _oh it was warm and soft and I can't believe Harry just said
that..._

Then Harry leaned forward and kissed him. It wasn't just a brushing of
lips, tentative, 'can we do this?' kind of kiss - it was an honest,
thoughtful, 'I want you' kiss. He ripped off restraint like a dirty
garment and tossed it aside, gathering Harry in his arms and returning
the kiss with all the fervor he could muster.

They parted a few moments later, both flushed and breathless.

"But why now?..." he began, but Harry interrupted him.

"Because all I could think of as I was fighting to escape were you
and... And I didn't want anything to happen to either of us before I
said something. I know I'm not very eloquent, but..."

He held Harry in trembling arms. "Hey, we're not here to practice the
art of conversation..."

Harry's hands snaked down his sides and around his front, rubbing
against him in a way that threatened to quickly blow his circuits. "I
didn't want to talk..."

"Hang on, Harry, unless you want this to be over with as soon as it's
begun."

He managed a shaky laugh, then nibbled his way down the side of
Harry's face, over his ear, and down his neck to the band of cloth
that cut them off from each other.

Harry unfastened the top of his uniform and slid it off his arms, then
dragged the jumper over his head. Tom responded in kind, and reveled
in the feel of warm flesh beneath his fingers - Harry's flesh.

Harry captured his mouth again, then as quickly released him. "Bed..."
Harry breathed. "Now..."

They dragged each other into the bedroom, then he pushed Harry down on
the bed and grabbed his boots, tugging them off. Harry's uniform and
briefs followed and he knelt there for a heartbeat, drinking in the
sight of Harry - all burnished gold and shining ebony. Then Harry
lunged for him, and he was as quickly stripped.

They tangled together on the bed, long legs twining, arms interlaced.
Cream and gold, blue and black, blurring and merging into one - a
glorious swirling binary system. Harry's hands stroked down his back,
and he mirrored those hands down Harry's back, finally cupping the
soft cheeks of Harry's rear. He squirmed, and Harry responded in kind,
then pulled back from their kiss and looked at him, cocking an
eyebrow. "If I do something wrong, tell me..."

"Is this your first time with a guy?" He could feel the warmth rise in
his face, joining the heat from his body.

"Yeah. But I think I can figure out what to do..." Harry smiled
gently, and drew a finger down his throat, over his chest, continuing
on...

He sucked in his breath when Harry's roving hand wrapped around his
penis, stroking him gently. He moved his hand down and stroked Harry
with the same rhythm, wondering how touching someone else could elicit
such pleasure in himself. Then Harry's face grew dim and he stopped
wondering about anything...

Tom smiled at his memories, already haloed in that glow peculiar to
cherished reminiscences. Less than three weeks since that incredible
night and he was ready to put his recollections in the embossed
leather album. He sighed and kissed Harry's hand again, then slowly,
carefully turned away, shifting his hips to accommodate his growing
erection. If every thought of Harry gave him an erection, then he'd
just have to get used to it.

He settled into the mattress and forced himself to breathe slowly,
regularly.

_Think boring thoughts... Listening to old Brightman drone on about
diplomatic history; watching the complete Andorian dance/poetry cycle
in one sitting; scrubbing out the..._

Harry shifted behind him, then his hand snaked over Tom's torso,
splaying flat against his stomach. Tom groaned almost silently, all
thought of sleep immediately banished by Harry's warm touch. Harry
shifted again, pressing against Tom's back, and his hand crept lower,
finally coming to rest against Tom's penis.

Tom groaned again, this time not as silently, then waited, hardly
breathing. Harry didn't move - his hand was relaxed, but the back of
it brushed against Tom in the most... arousing way. Tom tried a small
wiggle, but Harry remained still.

_Asleep... Damn him,_ thought Tom, and wondered if he could get out of
bed without waking Harry. _If I can just get to the bathroom, I
can..._

Then Harry's hand twitched and moved, and before Tom could do more
than yelp, it encircled his penis firmly.

"Tom..." Harry said softly, his breath fluttering over Tom's
shoulders. "You awake?"

Tom didn't even bother to answer. He just closed his eyes and shifted
experimentally, trying to encourage Harry to do more than just hold
him. As he moved back, Harry's erection slid along his rear and they
both gasped.

_Oh, please, Harry..._

"Tom?"

Although he was surprised, Tom knew exactly what Harry was asking. His
first instinct was to pull away, to laugh like it didn't matter, to
ask Harry when he figured out he wanted to fuck him... But he couldn't
- he had promised Harry to try not to shut him out. And the gods knew
that the last thing Tom wanted right now was to shut Harry out - of
his mind, his heart, or, for that matter, any part of his body that
Harry happened to want...

"Tom... If you don't want to..."

Tom rubbed his rear against Harry. "I do want to, Harry, love... I
just wasn't expecting it."

He heard Harry's snort of laughter. "Well, I did have to do some
research." Harry squirmed closer and licked Tom's ear. "And the Doc's
eyebrows almost reached his hairline when I asked him for relevant
information..."

"You're kidding!" Tom twisted around and stared at Harry, shocked.
"You didn't really go to the Doc..."

Harry nodded, grinning. "I didn't want to make a mistake. I mean, I
didn't know if you had ever... done that, but I thought I'd find out
what to do, just in case."

"Love, you could never make a mistake... And yeah, I've had sex with
men a couple of times, at the Academy." Tom grinned back, afraid that
if he didn't smile, he'd burst into tears. That Harry would research
this... "So, do you think you can handle it?"

"Yeah. If you want to..." Harry stroked him, his fingers teasing all
those soft, tender places that he had found early on in their love-
making. Tom felt the fire, which had been banked during their
discussion, rekindle. Harry kissed him gently. "But only if you want
to."

In answer, Tom kissed him back, then rolled onto his stomach. Harry
scooted on top of him, kissing his neck, shoulders, down the ridge of
his backbone, pausing for a moment to lick the silky skin just below
his waist. Tom sighed, relaxing under Harry's ministrations.

Then Harry stroked his rear, and Tom shivered, delighted. His previous
encounters with other men had been experimental - he had enjoyed
himself, but, once the novelty had worn off, he had never really
wanted to repeat the experience. Until Harry.

Harry teased the backs of his thighs and ass, caressing his warming
flesh with gentle fingers and lips and tongue until Tom was squirming
on the bed. Then he sat up, and Tom almost screamed in frustration. In
a moment, however, Harry's warm weight was back. He parted the cheeks
of Tom's ass and began to rub, his finger already lubricated. Tom
moaned. Sensation after sensation flared through him, and he found
himself shifting back, trying to take more of Harry's finger inside.
This was already so unlike his previous encounters that he felt like a
virgin - and he couldn't wait for Harry to be inside him...

Then Harry added another finger, and another, and Tom was up on his
elbows and knees, rocking in an age-old rhythm. When Harry slid his
fingers out, Tom stilled, panting, waiting for Harry to enter him.

"Tom, turn over, please..." Harry hand stroked his flank.

"But, what's wrong?" Tom looked around, confused.

"Nothing. I want to watch you... I want to see your eyes."

"Okay..." With a breathless shrug, Tom rolled onto his back and waited
to see what Harry had in mind. He had only ever done it hands-
and-knees, but at this point he was so ready for Harry that he'd twist
himself into a pretzel if it meant that Harry would hurry up.

Harry picked up a pillow, then paused. With a smile, he leaned over
and kissed Tom, quickly plundering his mouth and leaving him more
breathless than before. Then he placed one pillow, two pillows under
the small of Tom's back. Tom understood what Harry had in mind, and
pulled his knees to his chest, but Harry grasped his ankles and
stretched Tom's legs up along his torso. Harry kissed the furry
calves, and dipped his head to quickly tongue the soft inner thigh,
and Tom thought that if something didn't happen soon, he would have to
be sedated.

"Harry..."

Harry smiled again, then shifted slightly, and Tom could feel Harry's
erection pressing against him. He tensed, then relaxed, and Harry
slipped inside. Another tense, relax, push, and Harry was in a little
further. He looked up at Harry, whose face was a mask of
concentration. _He's trying to go slow..._ Tom reached out and grasped
Harry's arm.

"In. Now," he managed to get out from between gritted teeth.

Harry gazed at him blankly, then nodded. With one long, slow,
agonizingly delicious thrust, he was completely inside Tom. Harry
exhaled, his breath shaky, gave a quiet moan, and his eyes fluttered
closed. They abruptly opened again, and he looked at Tom, who was
wondering if he could stand any more of this pleasure, or if he was
going to just come right now.

"Wait," Harry breathed, and held still as Tom tried to calm himself
enough not to explode that second.

Once he felt more in control, Tom nodded, once, and Harry began to
move. Small thrusts and withdrawals at first, gradually increasing as
Tom responded by tilting his hips to take more of Harry. Tom forced
his eyes open to see Harry's face, a film of sweat glistening on his
upper lip and forehead. Harry's eyes were closed, but, as if he felt
Tom's regard, he opened them, and Tom thought he had never seen such a
look - Harry, staring with sweet abandon at him while they made
love...

Then Harry grasped Tom's erection, which was waving in front of him,
and Tom knew he was gong to die from sheer ecstasy. There was no doubt
in his mind. His heart was pounding far too fast, his lungs heaved,
and the blackness was growing at the edge of his vision. Harry stroked
him in time with his thrusts until Tom arched his back, slamming into
Harry, and came and came and came...

And he felt Harry shuddering inside him, heard his gasps, and knew
that it was over. Tom spread his legs and pulled Harry's sweaty torso
down onto him, cradling him close, too exhausted to do more than
feebly stroke Harry's back, murmur blessings, and convey a fraction of
the joy and pleasure he had found in his arms...

Harry whimpered - really, that was all he could call it, if he could
have formed the words - and opened his eyes. Tom's face swam in front
of him, and he closed his eyes again, so that he could concentrate on
what Tom was doing to him and not be distracted by how wonderful Tom
looked when he was moving inside him...

Harry braced his arms on the mattress and pushed forward, taking in
more of Tom than ever before. Tom moaned and shifted slightly, and
then Harry's breath caught as Tom clasped his erection, and he
couldn't imagine anything in life being better than this. And then Tom
began to stroke him in time with his thrusts, and Harry let his head
fall back, mouth open, trying desperately to suck in enough air so he
wouldn't pass out. _Perfect..._

Tom's hand shook, and Harry knew it was only a matter of seconds
before Tom would erupt inside him, and that thought was enough to send
him over the edge, crying out wordlessly. He felt Tom pause for a
heartbeat, then tense and spasm uncontrollably, calling out Harry's
name over and over as he orgasmed. Then he collapsed onto Harry,
panting, boneless, and Harry held him gently.

With a contented sigh, Harry pried open his eyes and regarded his
lover. Tom's hair was damp and dark, spiky from when he had run his
hands through it - his skin was flushed and glistening, and Harry
could see, and feel, the sprinkling of golden stubble over his jaw.
Then Tom opened his eyes and looked at him, and Harry thought he would
get lost in that clear blue. Tom was allowing him to see further
inside than ever before, and Harry's heart was pierced with the
peculiar pain of knowing that Tom trusted him absolutely.

---

It had been a week since he had confronted Tom, and, in that time, Tom
had not shut him out once - Harry felt that he had been given a
precious gift. One week of loving each other fully, both physically
and emotionally. It had been so overwhelming that Harry had
contemplated abandoning his initial plan - but now, even in the middle
of his joy, a tiny voice niggled at him, prodded him, and he decided
that today was the day to continue. Today he would get B'Elanna alone
and tell her how much he loved her.

B'Elanna looked up from her tray as Tom and Harry walked into the mess
hall. _Good,_ she thought, returning her attention to her tray, _they
look happy._ She took another bite of her breakfast, pleased that her
hand was steady, and smiled easily when they joined her.

"So, how's life in Engineering?" Tom asked.

"Not bad. I've been able to fix a lot of those little problems that
kept cropping up since things have been so quiet." She took another
bite, allowing herself one glance at Tom while he studied his food.
_Harry's been good for him - he looks happier than I've ever seen
him._ She suppressed her sigh.

"You've been working too hard," chimed in Harry. Before she could
protest, he continued. "Tom's agreed to help Neelix with some battle
sims tonight. Why don't we get in some gliding practice?"

B'Elanna put down her fork and leaned back, cocking her head at Harry.
"You don't have to baby me, Spot."

"I'm not!" Harry flushed a little, and B'Elanna regretted using that
nickname. It had too many associations, recalled too many things she
wanted... Harry glanced at Tom briefly, then smiled back at her,
lowering his voice. "I just thought we could practice some maneuvers
and surprise Tom."

"Oh, have pity on the poor guy," added Tom with a grin. "The last time
I helped Neelix, we were on the holodeck for four hours..."

"All right, but I refuse to play babysitter every time Tom's busy."

Tom chuckled. Harry flushed again, and just replied, "Don't worry,
B'Elanna. That's not what I had in mind."

---

The day flew by, as most of their days did. B'Elanna found herself
thinking about her evening with Harry... _It's not a date, Torres,_
she reminded herself, _just two friends getting together._ She had
managed to get through a couple of hours without thinking about Harry
or Tom.

"Lieutenant?"

B'Elanna turned abruptly, almost bumping into Nicoletti. "Yes?" she
barked.

Nicoletti launched into her question, but B'Elanna didn't hear her -
the memory of the images that Nicoletti had interrupted were too
appealing. She saw Harry facing her, his back pinned to the wall. His
eyes were dark as space, and she was falling into them. She leaned
forward and bit his...

"No!" she shouted, dragging her thoughts back. Nicoletti was backing
away, looking as if she'd rather be running. "Sorry." B'Elanna tried a
small smile, and Nicoletti stopped. "Um... why don't you check with
Carey on that?" Nicoletti disappeared.

"Damn, damn, damn," she muttered, sorely tempted to cancel. But she
didn't want to cancel... "Oh, to hell with it." She grabbed a padd and
checked the next item on her list of repairs, concentrating fiercely.
There would be no more daydreams.

There weren't.

---

B'Elanna arranged to stay on duty until right before she was to meet
Harry. She had just time enough to change clothes and grab a
replicated snack before dashing down the corridor and into Holodeck
two.

She saw Harry immediately. He was standing near the bar, talking with
Geron, but as soon as he saw her, his face lit up in a way that made
her breath catch. He nodded to Geron and joined her, and she suddenly
felt awkward and shy.

"Ready, B'Elanna?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice, and he took her arm - an
old-fashioned gesture that disconcerted her even more. But as they
walked, Harry talked about neutral topics - his day on the bridge,
Tuvok's hissy fit about a security breach in the weapons store, the
Captain's running joke with Chakotay... By the time they reached the
edge of the garden, B'Elanna felt more comfortable, and was able to
respond with something like her usual enthusiasm.

Harry ran Tom's subroutine, and they made their way to the launch
field. B'Elanna led the way toward the blue glider, but Harry called
her back.

"Wait... I need to talk with you first."

She turned toward him, surprised to find him blushing and staring at
the ground. He looked as if he were screwing up his courage.

"B'Elanna, I need to tell you... I mean, I want you to know..." He
looked even more uncomfortable, then raised his eyes to meet hers. She
gasped at what she saw.

_No... Not that..._

Before she could say anything, he stepped forward and kissed her, very
gently.

When he pulled away, she knew that her eyes reflected what she had
seen in his. But...

"What about Tom?" she rasped.

"We can talk about Tom later," he replied, resting his hands lightly
on her upper arms. "Right now I want to talk about us..."

"There is no 'us,' Ensign. You are already involved..."

"Yes, I am - but, B'Elanna..."

"No 'but, B'Elanna,' Harry. You and Tom made your preferences very
clear, and I accepted that, even though I..." She shut her mouth
quickly afraid of saying more, but Harry was nodding.

"Even though you lo..."

Without thinking, B'Elanna covered his mouth with her hand and pushed
him back against the rocky cliff, her body pressed close to him.

"Don't finish that thought..." she growled. His eyes widened, but he
didn't struggle. She felt his mouth and cheeks move, felt his warmth
spread through her, and belatedly realized that he was kissing the
palm of her hand. She inhaled deeply - the sensation pierced her - and
caught his scent.

It was too much. With another growl, she took her hand off his mouth,
jerked his face to the right and bit his cheek. Her hand stifled his
cry of surprise, but his chest heaved, and his hands slid up to her
shoulders, holding her firmly.

"Don't lie to me, B'Elanna - you feel it, too."

Motionless in his arms, she was acutely aware of every pounding beat
of her heart, every breath he took. She was frozen - unable to step
back to the way things had been before, unable to step forward into
the possibilities of the future. One breath, "yes," two breaths,
"no"... Slowly, without really realizing it, she nodded.

They both heard the twig snap, saw the figure at the edge of the field
turn and stagger back up the path.

"Oh, damn..." Harry muttered, releasing B'Elanna, then he sprinted
toward the path.

B'Elanna watched him disappear into the dense vegetation. "You
bastard..." she said, following slowly, feeling the unfamiliar prick
of tears.

"Don'trundon'trundon'trun..." Tom kept repeating his litany as he
walked through the resort, barely aware of anyone around him. He made
his way to the arch blindly, by instinct. All he could see were Harry
and B'Elanna, holding each other as if their lives depended on it.
Harry, eyes velvet with a look Tom had thought was for him alone, and
a mark -- that mark - on his cheek. Tom rubbed his own cheek, knowing
that his mark was long healed, but remembering the initial flare of
pain, the surprise, the overwhelming desire... And B'Elanna, looking
at him as she now looked at Harry...

He stumbled and looked around, startled. The corridor. _Harry... _ The
thought pierced him with a pain so agonizing that he looked down at
his chest, half-expecting to see a gush of blood staining the front of
his white tee-shirt. _B'Elanna..._ The pain made him gasp, and he knew
he had to get to his quarters as quickly as possible. If they saw him,
followed him...

"No!" The sound emerged, unbidden, from his throat.

Clamping his jaw shut, Tom took off down the empty corridor, not
stopping, even when he almost mowed down Commander Chakotay, until he
was at his cabin.

"Security lock, no override, authorization Paris 214920278," he barked
out as he dashed in, continuing across the room, and slamming into the
observation port. _Nononononono..._

He pressed his hands flat against the port, the surface cool to his
touch. He felt as cold as dread, he felt as if he was going to ignite
any second, he felt... empty. As empty as the vacuum on the other side
of the port. The stars, pinpricks of light; the planets, circling
unseen; the nebulae, vague shadows... so many things out there, but,
despite their numbers, nothing could fill that emptiness. He stared
out the port, wondering how his body could encompass more emptiness
than the unending space that surrounded him.

He leaned his forehead against the port - his head and hands three
small points of contact with the universe.

"Harry..." His voice broke, but he did not cry. How can emptiness cry?
"Harry, I did everything you asked of me... Why wasn't that enough?"

The door chime sounded, over and over, but he ignored it. He ignored
the sound of Harry repeatedly calling his name, and the pounding on
his door.

Eventually the noises stopped.

His communicator chirped.

"Kim to Paris."

He didn't move.

It chirped again.

"Tom, please..."

Slowly, carefully, he pulled the commbadge off his tee-shirt and
placed it gently at the bottom of his desk drawer. He shut the drawer
firmly, cutting off Harry's voice in mid-plea. With the same
meticulous care, he washed and undressed, concentrating on each step
of his evening ritual. When he stood by the bed, however, he knew he
could not rest there - that was where he and Harry...

Instead, he snatched up a blanket and pillow and curled up on the
couch. Two black hairs stood out starkly against the white of the
pillowcase -- Harry's, from last night. Tom picked them off the pillow
and placed them on the table, before clutching the pillow to his chest
and burying his face in the softness, breathing in Harry's scent, and
the fragrance of their love-making. Smells he would have to do without
from now on.

He turned out the lights and lay on his side, still holding the
pillow. Staring into the darkness, he tried to remember what he was
like before Harry. Before B'Elanna. He sighed once, then began to
reassemble the pieces of his facade -- the mask he had smashed for
Harry. Because Harry had asked him to, had needed him to. And he had
done so because Harry had said he loved him...

_Enough._

It would not be perfect, it would not be whole, but, he vowed to
himself, when he stepped out of his quarters in the morning, he would
be wearing his mask again.

---

Harry slipped on his boots, then picked up his hairbrush. Pausing in
front of the mirror, he glared at his reflection. _Idiot._ He gave a
few fierce swipes of the brush, then dropped it, unheeding. _Fool._

He stepped over the clothes he had worn yesterday, which lay huddled
on the deck where he had stripped them off and dropped them last
night.

_You did everything you swore you wouldn't - too much, too fast..._

His face burned as he remembered standing in the corridor outside
Tom's quarters, shouting Tom's name. Pounding on Tom's door until
Tuvok told him he'd end up in the brig if he didn't stop... Trying to
call Tom and receiving no answer, and finally, frantic with guilt and
worry, bursting into sickbay, where Kes and the Doctor had
obviously already heard something. Demanding that the Doctor monitor
Tom's vital signs, then practically shouting at Tuvok when he wouldn't
allow him to beam into Tom's quarters...

When the Doctor offered to heal the mark -- her mark - on his cheek,
Harry had refused. Kes had opened her mouth to say something, but
Harry shook his head, and she stayed silent. Seeing it would hurt Tom
even more, he knew, but he couldn't just have them erase it, as if
nothing had happened.

Kes had finally escorted Harry back to his cabin, reassuring him that
they would not let anything happen to Tom, or B'Elanna... And he had
been too upset to even worry about who had told her what had happened.
He had tried to contact B'Elanna, but she would not answer him either.
Harry hadn't slept, but spent the night pacing his quarters, wondering
if there was any way to salvage his relationship with the two people
he loved.

---

In the morning, Harry went directly to the bridge, skipping breakfast
- the thought of food revolted him - and stepped out of the lift into
silence and stillness. It only lasted a beat, and then normal
activities resumed, but it was long enough. He took his station,
ignoring the speculative glances of the crew, and was running his
first series of checks when the lift door slid open and Tom stepped
out.

Harry stared, horrified, at Tom. At the body that looked like Tom.
Harry watched as the stranger stepped over to the conn and relieved
the duty pilot, seemingly oblivious to the silence and stillness that
had descended. And to Harry.

_He's gone..._

Harry searched frantically for any sign of Tom, his Tom, in this cold
stranger, but could find no evidence that his Tom had ever inhabited
that brittle shell. Actually, he could find no evidence that
anything existed inside that body.

Tuvok's request for a report distracted him, and Harry spent the next
several hours concentrating on his duties. He stole occasional glances
at Tom, sitting, apparently relaxed and comfortable, at the conn, but
the sight of that... stranger unnerved Harry, and he eventually kept
his eyes focused on his read-outs.

The sound of B'Elanna's voice startled him.

"Ensign, are you showing some anomalous readings for the magnetic
capacitor?"

"One moment, Lieutenant," he muttered, quickly scanning his panel.
"Yes. The variance has increased to zero point one three." Out of the
corner of his eye, he saw a quick movement at the front of the bridge.

"Damn... I'll be right up."

Suddenly Harry's throat was dry, and he swallowed painfully. Soon, too
soon, B'Elanna appeared. She hurried over to his station, staring at
the padd in her hand, and briskly began to query Harry about the
readings. He answered, looking at the thin crescent of cheek visible
beneath her fall of hair. Their discussion lasted some minutes, but
they were no nearer discovering the cause of the problem than when
they began. B'Elanna's frustration was obvious, and, after a final
attempt to correct the readings, she shook her head and turned, facing
Harry fully for the first time.

She paled when she saw that he still bore her mark. He returned her
look, solemn, but could not help glancing over at the conn. The
stranger was gone, and Tom was staring at them, eyes wide. _He's still
there!_ Harry's heart sang, and he was hard-pressed to suppress the
smile that threatened to break through. Without a word, Tom turned
back to the conn. His hand shook as he entered a slight course
correction.

_I'll make him listen to me tonight. He must listen..._ thought Harry.
Then the Captain came over to consult with B'Elanna, and Harry turned
back to his work, feeling hope for the first time in almost
twenty-four hours.

---

Harry spent the rest of his shift in Engineering, working alongside
B'Elanna. She was unusually subdued and glanced at him occasionally,
her eyes confused. Harry could sympathize - poor B'Elanna. First he
pursues her, then he hares off after Tom when they are discovered, but
he still wears her mark, and it's obvious he still wants Tom... Hell,
he was confused, and he was the one who began this whole mess. _But
I'll straighten it all out... I promise._ Shift change occurred while
they were mopping up their repairs, and B'Elanna ordered Harry out -
now. He suspected that she couldn't bear to have him so near, but he
complied quickly, making his way up to Tom's quarters. He wanted to
get there before Tom.

Luck was with him, and Harry slipped into Tom's empty quarters. He
left the lights off - he could see enough in the dim light from the
port - and moved into the darker shadows by the desk.

He had only waited a moment or two before the door slid open again and
Tom burst in. The door slid shut and he continued across the room,
almost slamming himself against the port. He stood there, faintly
outlined by the starlight, his labored breathing audible in the
stillness. His drooping shoulders and bent head spoke eloquently of
his misery, and Harry had to consciously stop himself from running
over and gathering him into his arms.

"Tom..."

With an oath, Tom whipped around, searching the dim room. "Get out!"

"Tom, we have to talk..."

"Computer, lights, one hundred percent!" Both men squinted in the
sudden glare. Harry stayed by the desk, while Tom strode to the middle
of the room. "I said get out!" he barked, gesturing stiffly toward the
door.

"You don't understand..."

"Understand?" With a shuddering breath, Tom shut his eyes. His face
stilled, hardened, and Harry's heart sank. When Tom opened his eyes
again, the stranger looked back at Harry with imperturbable coldness.
"I understand what that mark means, Harry. I understand what I saw
yesterday. Don't tell me that I don't understand."

"But you only understand part of..."

"Harry," Tom interrupted, moving toward Harry. His voice was very
soft. "If there was any way I could leave the ship right now, I would
do it. But there isn't. So I am going to tell you this once, and you
will listen: Leave me alone. I don't want to see you, I don't want to
talk to you, I don't want to hear your voice. I have asked the
Commander to change my shift rotation as soon as possible. The Captain
has agreed to let me move my quarters to another deck..."

"No..." Harry couldn't believe it - Tom had already consulted with the
Captain and Commander? Without even listening to Harry? How dare he...
He pushed away his anger and tried reason again. "Tom..."

"Not another word, Ensign. I've been made a fool of twice, and it
won't..."

Tom never had time to finish his sentence. Harry's anger erupted, and
he launched himself at Tom. Instead of pounding him, however, he
pinned Tom's arms in a bear hug and frantically kissed any part of
Tom's face he could reach. Tom, taken by surprise, stumbled backward
and landed awkwardly on the couch, Harry still holding him.

"Get off..." Tom rasped, shifting beneath Harry, sliding sideways
along the couch, trying to gain purchase. Harry took advantage of
Tom's vulnerable position and settled his weight more firmly on top,
while continuing his kisses.

In between kisses, Harry repeated, "I love you, I love you," as much
to himself as to Tom. Slowly, so slowly Harry almost didn't notice,
Tom began to kiss him back. Harry's frantic pace gradually quieted,
and he lingered on Tom's lips, reveling in the taste of him, the feel
of him. What he had almost lost...

Harry pulled back a little and met Tom's eyes. The stranger was gone
-- his Tom was looking back at him, eyes full of pain and confusion
and love. He breathed a small sigh of relief, feeling, as he often
did, that he was falling into those blue depths. Harry tightened his
grip, and Tom moved slightly, experimentally.

"Don't ever doubt that I love you," Harry whispered, wanting, more
than anything, to finally banish the misgiving in Tom's eyes.

Tom's gaze moved to Harry's cheek. "What about that?" He nodded toward
B'Elanna's mark.

Harry hesitated and considered lying to Tom. He couldn't. "I love her,
too."

Tom closed his eyes. "Is that why you went to her?" he whispered.

"I thought it would be a good time to talk to her. I'm so sorry..."
Harry took a deep breath. "I was being greedy and impatient. I wanted
the two of you so much, and you and B'Elanna were not exactly getting
along. I thought that if I talked to her alone, and explained that she
had hurt you, and that you naturally resented it..."

"Oh, naturally..." Tom opened his eyes and looked away. Harry felt
Tom's body tense beneath him, and he rolled onto the deck, clambered
to his knees, and held Tom's face in his hands.

"I know I was an idiot... I don't have any excuse for hurting you and
B'Elanna so much." He kissed Tom again, fiercely, as if the intensity
of their connection could convince Tom of his love, then met his eyes.
"I'll go down to sickbay immediately and get her mark removed. First
thing tomorrow I'll try to apologize to her, and tell her I made a
mistake..." He faltered, and lowered his eyes. "That is... if you'll
forgive me..."

Suddenly, Tom was on his knees on the deck beside him, arms wrapped
tightly around him, kissing him. Not just kissing him -- devouring him.
And Harry could feel himself melting beneath the onslaught of Tom's
kisses. Melting and shifting, outlining the shape of the man he loved.

Just as suddenly, Tom pulled away and held Harry at arm's length.
"You'd do this? You'd get rid of that mark and tell her you made a
mistake?"

"Yes."

"For me? To make me happy?" Disbelief colored his voice.

Harry nodded, putting all the force of his conviction into one word.
"Yes."

Tom released him and scrambled to his feet. "You're a fool, Harry." He
moved stiffly over to the port and stared out.

"What... what do you mean?" Harry was stunned. "Tom?"

"No," Tom sighed and shook his head, "I didn't mean that. You're not a
fool. But," he turned, anguish clear on his face, "you would give up
something that means so much to you, just to keep me happy." He held
out his hands, pleading. "Harry, how can I be happy if I know you're
sacrificing something you want so much? I can't ask that of you - I
can't ask that of anyone."

Harry slowly crossed the room. "Tom, you're more important to me than
anything else..."

"No!" Tom shook his head vehemently. "I'm not more important than
yourself. Harry, I don't want you to change. I fell in love with Harry
Kim, a man of integrity and honor, a man with an inner fire - a fire
that drew me to him, like a drowning man to the shore..." He grabbed
Harry's hands and held them tightly. "I don't want you to betray
yourself - breaking faith with who you are and twisting yourself out
of true. And I especially don't want you doing it for me!" He dropped
Harry's hands and turned back to the port. "I'd rather give you up
than be responsible for turning you into someone else..."

"But I'd do it gladly..."

He whipped around and almost shouted. "But I won't!"

Harry stood there, paralyzed - he had offered to give up B'Elanna to
keep Tom - but that wasn't enough, it seemed. Nothing he did pleased
Tom... "Tell me what I should do..."

Tom drew his brows together, his expression darkening. "Me? Me tell
you? Oh gods, Harry..." He grabbed Harry's arms and practically shook
him until his teeth rattled. "You must do what you think right!"

Heart pounding, the blood roaring in his ears, Harry felt dizzy -- he
had no idea if Tom was telling the truth. But Tom believed it.
Believed in him. And Tom did not lie - not to him.

"Then..." He felt as if he were taking a step off a cliff edge and
cleared his throat, unwilling to let his voice squeak at a time like
this. "Then, I think that you love me... and you love B'Elanna."

He waited, patiently. Calmly. Because he knew it was the truth.

Finally, Tom nodded. "Yeah."

And he gathered Tom into his arms, reveling in the feel of him, the
scent of him, the knowledge that they were bound to each other,
always.

With a shaky laugh, Tom said, "Harry, I wish you'd said something to
me earlier."

"You would have told me I was crazy."

"Maybe. Then I would've come up with a better plan."

Harry laughed and pulled Tom toward the couch. For the first time, he
noticed the pillow and blanket at one end.

"Did you sleep out here last night?" He gently stroked Tom's face.

"Well, 'sleep' is putting it a bit strongly," Tom said. "But I
couldn't lie down in our bed without you..."

"We make a great pair, don't we?" Harry sighed and sat down, pulling
Tom down beside him.

"You mean trio."

"You've come up with a plan?" Harry smiled and kissed him. "Already?"

Tom grinned, then wrapped his arms around Harry. "You inspire me..."

---

B'Elanna practically ran into the mess hall. She had wanted to get
there earlier and avoid the alpha shift breakfast rush, but events
conspired against her - her wake up call had somehow gotten set late,
and then she hadn't noticed the tear in her uniform until she had it
on, and then had to replicate a new one because she hadn't gotten
around to putting her other uniforms in the 'fresher; which depleted
her replicator credits, so if she wanted anything for breakfast, she
had to go to the mess hall. Now she waited in line, glowering at those
in front of her. She wanted to eat and get out of there as fast as
possible.

Otherwise, she'd have to see Harry and Tom again.

She sighed. It had been bad enough yesterday. Harry, with her mark
still on his cheek, working next to her all afternoon. Tom, pretending
he didn't care, but looking at them with hurt-filled eyes. When she
had ordered Harry out of Engineering, she knew exactly where he was
going...

It was the right thing, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell.

When it was her turn, she grabbed the first thing to hand from the
bowls of food and retreated to a table in the corner. With her back to
the room, maybe no one would notice her while she bolted down her
meal. She only realized that having her back to the room was a
disadvantage after she had sat down, and she didn't want to draw
attention to herself by moving around the table, so she shielded her
face by propping her cheek on her hand and stared at the mess on her
plate. She couldn't see what was going on this way, but she could
follow the buzz of morning gossip.

"Dalby saw him yelling and pounding on the door..."

"...on his cheek..."

"...looking like he'd been turned to stone..."

"...asked the Captain to move his quarters..."

"...an emergency beam-in, but Tuvok said no..."

Suddenly the room went quiet. Just for a heart-beat. Just long enough
to hear a voice - no, not just any voice, but his voice - say,
"Hungry, Harry? I sure am." Then the room filled with the hum of
conversation again, but now her heart was pounding so hard she
couldn't hear anything other than that insistent rhythm. Still, she
knew what she had to do.

Escape.

Trying to move fast enough to get out of there quickly, but not so
fast that she drew attention to herself, B'Elanna pushed aside her
tray, rose and turned.

Only to come face-to-face with Harry and Tom. Who were both sporting
identical marks on their cheeks.

She was instantly scalding, and knew her face was scarlet. _Damn
them... What kind of game are they playing?_

"'Morning, B'Elanna," said Tom, his expression open and gentle.

"'Morning, B'Elanna," echoed Harry. She glanced at him - there was a
hint of... mischief? on his face.

_Wait a minute..._ "Can we join you for breakfast?" asked Tom, and he
stepped toward the table, blocking her in.

"Do you mind?" Harry shifted position and cut off her other escape
route.

"Well, actually..." "Thanks..." Between the two of them, they managed
to herd B'Elanna into the corner seat, where, unless she made a scene
and scrambled over the table, escape was impossible

B'Elanna decided to let them say their piece - she had a healthy
respect for both Harry's and Tom's tenacity. If she didn't let them
talk to her now, they'd dog her until she did. And make her life
miserable in the process... _Not that it isn't miserable now._

"Okay, you both," she snapped, but quietly. "What is it?"

They shared a quick glance - she could have sworn they were amused -
but remained pleasantly solemn. She looked at Tom, assuming that he
would be their spokesman, and was surprised when Harry leaned forward.

"B'Elanna, you've marked both of us, and we all know what that means.
We've talked it over," he took Tom's hand in his and gave it a
squeeze, "and we both consider ourselves bound to you... and to each
other."

She stared at them, shutting her mouth when she belatedly realized it
was hanging open.

"Just a minute. You're telling me that..." Her voice trailed off. What
were they telling her? And did she really want to hear it?

Harry nodded as if she had completed her sentence. "That's right. All
three of us belong together."

She continued staring, taking in Harry's twinkling eyes, Tom's
deceptive innocence... and the light dawned.

"You bastards..." She rocketed to her feet, fists clenched, but
managed to keep her voice at a whisper. "I couldn't help myself on the
planet, Paris, and you know it! And as for Harry, well... I'm sorry I
did what I did. But it's pretty lousy of you two to try and get back
at me like this." Damn, the hurt was obvious in her voice. She glared
at the startled men and hissed, "Get out of my way..."

Tom shifted slightly, and she brushed past him, wanting to pound him
into the deck, get him beneath her and mark him again...

"B'Elanna, wait...." Harry called out to her.

Tom added, "But you don't understand..."

She ignored them.

---

The day seemed to last forever, but she was quite willing to spend the
rest of her life in Engineering if it meant she wouldn't have to be
alone with her thoughts. Or with either of them...

She had had to speak to Harry a couple of times over the commlink, but
kept it short and cold. And when someone had to go to the bridge, she
sent Nicoletti. After all, everyone was always telling her to
delegate. This was as good a time as any to start.

At the end of her shift, she decided to start a new series of
diagnostics -- so what if it would take half the next shift? She
corralled Bristow and began. They took longer than expected, but she
wasn't angry. In fact, she welcomed the delay. _They should be
finished with dinner and relaxing on the holodeck now..._ She would be
able to get back to her quarters undisturbed.

As she rounded the corner near her quarters, she saw them, leaning
idly against the bulkhead next to her door. _Damn..._

"B'Elanna..." began Harry, his brows furrowed into that funny little
crease she had once dreamed of licking smooth...

"Haven't you two done enough? I've said I'm sorry. I feel miserable.
You should be very happy. Now leave me alone!"

Then Tom stepped forward, holding his hands out to her, a look of such
sweetness on his face that she thought her heart would stop.
"B'Elanna, please..."

It was too much.

She turned on her heel and took off down the corridor. Where could she
go? Someplace where she could hide, but not be alone. Someplace where
there were people... She rounded a corner and sprinted toward the
holodecks, ducking into holodeck two, where the resort was playing.

Ignoring the startled looks of other crewmembers, she dashed past the
bar and into the garden. Her feet followed the familiar trail. She was
so caught up in her thoughts that it didn't seem strange that the
garden's far wall had disappeared, leaving only verdant foliage and a
breathtaking view. She continued down the trail, only skidding to a
stop when she emerged onto the grassy field.

"Damn!"

She turned to go back the way she had come, but she could hear the
sounds of Harry and Tom crashing through the foliage as they came down
the trail. That way was cut off. The cliff...

She crossed to the edge and scanned for a path, a trail, a handhold...
Anything that would allow her to avoid the men who pursued her. There
was nothing -- it was sheer and unscalable.

That was when the anger cascaded through her.

With a growl deep in her throat, she turned to them, lowering her
stance, preparing to fight to get past, if necessary.

They approached her slowly. Harry circled slightly to her left, Tom
stayed between her and the path back to the resort. She divided her
concentration between the two men and the sheer drop at her back,
searching for a weakness she could exploit.

"B'Elanna, we're not teasing you..." said Tom, holding his hands out
to her again. "I was angry at you earlier for making me want you so
much, and then trying to pretend nothing happened... even though
nothing did happen." His mouth quirked in a half smile and he glanced
at Harry, who continued.

"And I was too impatient -- I could see what I wanted, and I snatched
at it... at you..." He took a step closer. "I hurt you and Tom. I
didn't mean to, but I did." He took another step. "I'm sorry..."

She lunged at him -- could see him tense up a moment before she made
contact -- then the two of them were rolling on the ground. His body
was firm, his muscles smooth under her hands. B'Elanna pinned Harry
beneath her; she could tell he wasn't trying very hard... He looked so
delicious... face flushed, eyes bright, hair unkempt... Without
thinking, she darted her face down to his and bit him again.

"It's not scary..."

Tom's voice came from behind her, and she scrambled off Harry, facing
him on her knees. He was squatting on the grass, hands relaxed,
looking at her with the same half smile he had earlier.

"Neither of us is scared..."

She froze, not wanting to understand him.

"It's true..." Harry now. "We just want you with us..."

"B'Elanna..." Tom dropped to his knees and held out his hands. "Fight
me or Harry, but don't fight what you feel..."

Still she hesitated. They were serious. But what about her? Did she,
could she want this... them? Tom was still, hands outstretched,
smiling. Welcoming her home...

Harry scrambled around beside him, kissed his cheek, then sat,
cross-legged, next to him. And smiled at her.

Her heart turned over. _By the gods, the two of them could melt
metal..._ The fire in her gut that had been banked flared again,
vaporizing her anger and frustration. She closed her eyes, just to
shut out the two men in front of her for a second. Her flesh tingled,
thousands of tiny sparks of electricity danced across her skin... She
opened her eyes and sprang for Tom.

He was laughing as they wrestled on the ground, crowing with delight,
and he swept her into his arms and kissed her fiercely before she
turned him on his back and straddled him. She leaned over his face,
eyes narrowing, watching him watch her... And bit his cheek. Twice.
For good measure.

He grabbed her hips and pressed her against him, and she could feel
how ready he was...

"Heads up, you two!" Harry hissed, and she became aware of the sound
of voices at the edge of the garden.

Tom laughed again and shook his head. "B'Elanna, my love, we have the
worst timing..." He released her, and she rolled off him, blushing
again at the unexpected endearment. No one had ever called her 'my
love'...

"C'mon, we've got to get out of here..." Harry extended his hands and
helped the two of them to their feet.

Tom looked ruefully at his straining trousers. "Oh, great. Let's put
on a show, while we're at it."

"Don't worry, love," replied Harry, giving Tom a pat on the rear.
"With these on our faces," he pointed to their fresh marks, "no one's
going to notice the state of your trousers."

B'Elanna looked at them. Neither Tom nor Harry seemed bothered by her
ferocity, by being marked... A bead of blood colored Tom's cheek. Of
course.

"Computer, three for emergency beam-out to sickbay..."

B'Elanna smiled as they dissolved, grinning at two pair of startled
eyes as they reappeared in sickbay. Then she grabbed their hands and
was tugging them toward the door before the doctor had a chance to
open his mouth.

"Well, really..." was all she heard as the door slid shut behind them.

With a spluttered laugh that quickly turned into a feral grin, she
stared at Tom and Harry for a moment. "So... Where to?"

Harry began to laugh, followed closely by Tom. "Torres, you are
wonderful..."

"My quarters, I think," said Tom, starting down the corridor. "Why?"
B'Elanna was curious.

"'Cause they're closer..."

B'Elanna's giddy joy quieted as she looked around Tom's quarters.
She'd been here before, sure, but never... She looked back and caught
Harry giving Tom a quick kiss.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Now," replied Harry, his arm around Tom's waist, "we tell you again
how much we love you, and, if we're very lucky, you'll believe us."

She looked at the two of them, blonde and dark, black eyes and blue,
skin like cream and skin like gold -- so different, yet so alike... A
thin pain pierced her, welcome for all its agony, and she had trouble
breathing for a moment. Then they stepped forward, and she was
enveloped in arms, and warmth, and love...

So she kicked Harry's feet out from beneath him. He dragged both her
and Tom down on top of him, and they landed in a tangled heap on the
deck. Tom started laughing again -- a sound that twisted sharply in
her gut.

"The bed, B'Elanna, please..." he choked out, "I don't think Harry or
I am up to the deck..."

She twisted around and pinned his shoulders to the deck, her mouth
centimeters from his. "Who said you have anything to say about it?"
His eyes widened and grew dark, but not in fear. She kissed him, hard,
until he groaned and shifted under her. Then she drew back a little
and gently worried his lower lip as his hands caressed her back and
sides, moving, more slowly than she liked, to cover her breasts.

She released Tom's mouth with a gasp and turned to Harry, kneeling
beside them with a smile touching the corners of his mouth.

"Harry, help me," she ordered. "We're going to make him love the
deck..."

Harry's grin widened, and he pounced on Tom, grabbing his hair and
pulling him in for a kiss that made B'Elanna's eyes go wide with
shock. _Damn... Who'd've thought... Harry..._ Tom, meanwhile, was
squirming beneath her, his erection bulging up against her rear,
moaning into Harry's mouth.

"Too many clothes," she muttered, unfastening the front of Tom's shirt
and dragging it over his shoulders. "Ahhhh..." His chest, heaving as
he gasped for air, the muscles playing smoothly beneath the thin skin
and tangle of hair, fascinated her. With a growl, she dived for his
nipples, gently biting one while pinching the other. Tom's moans
increased, and he writhed frantically. His hands were draped around
Harry's shoulders, fingers white with pressure. She switched her
attention to his fingers, licking each one before bestowing a nip at
each fingertip, then moved back to his chest, working her way slowly
down his abdomen.

She paused just above the waist-band of his trousers, breathing gently
on his flesh, watching it quiver at each puff of warm air. "Harry,
come here..." She blew across Tom's stomach, her hands holding his
hips still. The volume of Tom's moans increased as Harry left his
mouth.

B'Elanna undid the top button on Tom's trousers, allowing her hand to
brush across his erection, then turned to Harry, who knelt beside her.

"Watch us, Tom..."

Grabbing Harry's shoulders, she kissed his lips, moved to those
wonderful broad cheekbones, over the delicate eyelids, down his nose,
to end up outlining his sculpted mouth with her tongue. Her hands were
as busy as her mouth, and she tugged off Harry's shirt at the same
time as she pulled away.

Tom stared at them, his eyes burning, his mouth open, panting. _Gods,
I could eat him up..._ B'Elanna thought.

"Do you like what Harry and I are doing?" B'Elanna grabbed Harry's
hand and placed it on the front of her uniform. Harry slid the
fastener down, and she shrugged off her top. "Do you want to see
more?" Tom nodded, and Harry helped her pull off her jumper, leaving
just the tank top.

With a nod, she leaned across Tom and let Harry tug the top over her
head. She trembled slightly as the cooler air touched her breasts and
felt the nipples contract. Then Harry's mouth and hand were sucking
and rubbing them, and she inhaled sharply and arched her back.

Tom's hands settled around her waist, but she pushed them down, giving
one to Harry and holding one herself. His fingers twined in hers, and
she could feel the tension building in him. With her other hand, she
unfastened Tom's trousers and, with Harry's help, slid them over his
hips. Then she released his hand and tugged Tom's shoes, socks and
trousers off completely, while Harry stripped and moved behind her.
His hands snaked around her waist and Tom's hands moved up to join
them. In seconds, she was stepping out of her boots and pants,
shivering as both pairs of hands stroked over her hips, her flanks,
down the length of her thighs...

Harry pressed against her back, the firm warmth of him causing the
molten fire in her belly to flare up. She pushed back against him,
then suddenly twisted in his arms and kissed him, long and hard. She
was aware of Harry's lips on hers, his tongue wrestling with her, his
erection pressed into her belly...

And then other hands stole up her thighs, across her rear, teasing and
fluttering against her heated skin. She trembled and ground herself
against Harry, anchoring herself as those fingers dipped between her
thighs and caressed the slickness there. She moaned into Harry's sweet
mouth, and knew she was nearing the edge -- as if she were going to
fling herself off the cliff -- but she had wings, and Tom and Harry to
keep her from falling.

An arm snaked across her chest, pinning her back against Tom's long
torso. warm lips mapped her shoulders and neck. She allowed herself to
fall with him as he lay back on the deck, let herself be pillowed on
his body. Without a word, Harry moved between their spread legs, his
hands preparing her, readying her. He leaned over her and kissed her
again, then leaned further and kissed Tom, who was writhing beneath
her.

Tired of the teasing, she wrapped her legs around Harry's waist and
pinned him to her, his erection bumping her hip, Tom's straining
against her rear. Harry chuckled in her ear, shifted slightly, and
paused, waiting. She felt the head pressing gently into her, the hands
caressing her skin, Tom nipping her neck, Harry tonguing her nipples,
and wondered briefly if she could take much more...

Yes.

Her legs tightened around Harry's waist, and he plunged into her --
she arched against Tom's warm body and cried out, dragging Harry down
against her sweaty chest. She tightened the muscles inside her,
grinning as Harry moaned in response. Then she was too busy being
washed around by the overwhelming assault of her senses to think of
anything save release.

It came a moment later -- Harry tensed above her, then spasmed and
dragged her over the edge with him. She fell, without fear. The strong
arms she knew were surrounding her would not let her hit bottom.

--

Sudden coolness on her chest and abdomen roused her -- Harry had
rolled off and lay beside them, his body limp, eyes closed. She
stretched, smiling slightly at Tom's tense jerk when she rubbed
against his erection. She moved again, chuckling at Tom's moan, but
also feeling the warmth begin to pulse in her groin.

Slowly, muscles carefully stretching and contracting beneath her
cooling skin, she turned over to face him. The dark need in his eyes,
coloring his face, made her desire flare and she lunged to fasten her
lips to his. She dragged her hands over his shoulders, arms, torso,
hot to the touch, while she ground her pelvis into his undulating
hips. He gasped into her mouth and pushed against her, the heat of his
erection practically igniting her flesh.

With a hoarse cry, she tore herself from his lips and raised her hips
to take him in one fast movement. He bucked beneath her, sending
another knife-edge of painful desire through her gut. She leaned
forward again and bit his neck none too gently -- he jerked and
shuddered, gasping for air. His hands encircled her back and pulled
her down against him as he maintained his insistent rhythm. More hands
joined Tom's, and she was being kissed over and over, first Tom, then
Harry, then Tom...

Their scents were overwhelming, making her dizzy and warm and aware of
every nerve in her body, all at once. Then Tom's breath caught, his
body tensed, and then he cried out and thrust himself deeply into her,
his climax triggering hers. This time she didn't fall -- she threw
herself off the edge, confident that they would catch her. They did.

She ended up in the middle, warmth on either side as they caressed her
and each other. Her hands strayed down their chests, past their
waists, to rest on their rapidly hardening cocks. Eyebrows raised, she
glanced at each man in turn, delighting in their blushes and
tightening her grip to make them squirm.

_So much to do..._ Her lips curled in a tiny smile. A very wicked tiny
smile.

"Harry," she murmured, "I want to watch you take Tom, and then Tom,"
she turned her head, and almost laughed at the look of embarrassment
mixed with desire on his face, "I want to watch you take Harry. Here.
On the deck."

She helped them along with kisses, bites, strokes and gentle pinches,
until the two men lay boneless beside her.

She kissed Harry, who was too tired to do more than moan quietly into
her mouth, then scooted over to taste Tom's mouth.

She looked down into those eyes... _I didn't think eyes could be so
blue,_ and nibbled on his lips. "Do you like the deck?" she asked
between nibbles.

He nodded and threw one arm around her and the other around Harry,
drawing them close. "I love the deck..."

---

The End