The BLTS Archive- The Rewards of Revenge
Second in the Mutual Vengeance series
by Dusk (Dusk@england.com)

---

Disclaimer: These boys are unlawfully borrowed from their true
masters, TPTB at Paramount. I make no profit off of this minor
infraction.

---

Playing nurse was fun, when you knew it was only for a limited time.
But Harry had no intention of making a career out of it, and that's
what it looked like was going to happen.

He tried again.

"You absolutely, positively, *definitely* cannot still be ill."

Nothing happened.

Annoyed, he pulled away one of the blankets - now numbering six - that
made up the cocoon. Tuvok glared at him with heavy-lidded eyes and
pulled the blanket back over his head in silence.

"Man, I was *never* this bad," Harry muttered under his breath.
"Tuvok, it's been..." - he checked the chronometer - "... 38 hours
since you were diagnosed with an illness that first of all should only
last 24, and second, is *totally* unknown in your species. I need to 
check and see how you're doing!"

"If you cannot be quiet, go elsewhere." Tuvok's voice was slightly
muffled by the blanket, but Harry didn't need to hear to understand.
Tuvok had been saying very little else for the past six hours, other
than chilly requests for another blanket, or occasionally for a
blanket to be removed.

"I'm not going anywhere. You could be extremely ill under there."

"I *am* severely ill, but it will pass in time."

"The last time I got close enough to take your temperature it was 2
degrees *below* normal, and the time before that it was one above. And
frankly, I find that just a little suspect. I have to take another
reading, whether you like it or not."

"If you bring that thing near me again, I will not be responsible for
my actions."

"Well, what am I supposed to do, then?"

"Do as you are told and sit both still and *quietly*."

"That won't help."

"It will help me."

"I've apologised a hundred times. Will you just get *over* it
already!"

Pause.

"There is nothing to be 'over'. It is certainly not your fault you
infected me with a debilitating alien disease while I was attempting
to alleviate your suffering."

Time for a different approach.

"Hypochondriac! There's nothing wrong with you, and if you'll just let
me get close enough, I'll prove it!"

"Stay away from me or suffer the consequences."

"I can't catch it again, I just got over it."

"I was not referring to this... disease." The veiled threat would have
carried more weight if Tuvok hadn't been curled up around a pillow at
the time, but it was sufficient.

Harry changed track again and sat down on the bed, stroking the
section of the giant nest that he was pretty sure concealed Tuvok's
arm.

"You're allowed to be grumpy when you're ill. I know I was. But I'm
not going to just leave you while you're in such a delicate condition.
Please, at least let me scan you and reassure myself you're not in
danger."

What sounded suspiciously like a snort sounded from the general
vicinity of Tuvok's head.

"Well, shall I take away a couple of these blankets?"

There was a rustling noise as Tuvok tucked the blankets even more
securely around himself.

"I could get you a drink?"

"I do not require anything."

"How about I join you in there, then? Looks cosy...."

"Touch me and die."

Harry stood up and beat the stuffing out of an unsuspecting spare
pillow. "That's it. I've had enough.  No more. I'm getting the Doc in,
and you will allow him to see you. No arguments." He stormed out,
wishing it was easier to slam doors on a starship.

Tuvok dug his way out of his nest just enough to make a vague but
obscene gesture which, if his calculations were correct, Harry should
just have seen as the door closed.

---
In Sickbay:
---

"What is it now, Ensign?"

"It's 38 hours, that's what! Why the hell isn't he better yet?"

The EMH put down the instrument he was calibrating with a long
suffering sigh.

"I don't know, Mr. Kim. There - is - no - precedent - for - this -
situation. That means that I don't know what to expect. Didn't we go
over this already?"

"He's in a mood with me. You have to fix him, and soon."

"'Fix him'? He's a broken conduit or bulkhead now? Besides, you're
being paranoid. Vulcans don't make emotional decisions, and there's no
logical reason for him to be annoyed with you. It's hardly your fault
the virus spontaneously mutated, and he knows that, even if you don't.
You're probably sublimating your own guilt and transforming it into an
imagined...."

"Bull! When you've lived with a Vulcan, you get to know exactly how
much of a smokescreen that 'pure logic' story is. Til then, don't feel
you can lecture me, ok?"

"Calm yourself, Ensign. Naturally you'd be the expert on this
particular Vulcan...."

"Yes, I am. And right now he is exacting his revenge with all the
attention to detail they're famed for!"

"I hardly think so, but if it makes you feel any better, I'll come and
talk to him myself."

"*Thank* you!"

---

"So, where is the patient?"  The hologram surveyed the apparently
empty room in confusion.

"Right there. Nesting." Harry pointed to the heap of blankets on the
bed, which shifted slightly. The Doctor raised his eyebrow.

"I see."

"And he refuses to come out."

Recalibrating his tricorder to compensate for the multiple layers, he
ran it over the heap.

"Hmm." He closed it and turned to the young man. "Harry, how long has
it been since you ate?"

Harry thought back. "I don't know... I had some soup about 5 hours
ago, when *he* refused to eat it."

"Why don't you go to the messhall and get something, then, while I run
a few tests. I'm sure you could use the break."

"But...."

"I assure you, he'll be fine. It would do you good to get out of this
room for a while."

Harry nodded, and the EMH watched him leave. Then he turned back to
his patient.

"Well?"

Tuvok clawed his way out of his cocoon. "He insisted on calling you."

The Doctor sat down on a corner of the bed. "I know Vulcans are often
accused of being hypochondriacs, but this is a new one on me, and most
out of character, I might add. What exactly are you doing?"

Tuvok gazed at him levelly. "I am making a point."

"How long are you planning to keep it up?"

"I believe a few more hours should be sufficient."

"Really? Because it's been 38 hours now, as I'm sure you're aware...,
and it took you, what, 6 hours to *actually* recover from the 'flu?"

Tuvok stretched. "Five and one third hours."

"If I were you, I'd plan to 'recover' soon. "

"Or?"

"I have no intention of giving you away, Mr. Tuvok. I'm well aware
that he makes a terrible patient. It's simply a suggestion."

The Vulcan considered this. "I will take the matter under advisement."

Satisfied, the EMH stood. "Congratulations, by the way. To anyone
other than a trained Doctor, your symptoms would be indistinguishable
from the real thing. I wasn't aware that Vulcans could actually alter
their body temperature at will."

"It is a little known but useful talent."

"Yes, so I see. I must update my records, if you'll excuse me...." he
swept out of the room.

Tuvok watched him leave. And *smirked*.

---

Harry, feeling much better after a decent meal and a long bitching
session with Tom, opened the door to their quarters and blinked when
the door slid shut behind him and left him in total darkness.

This was new.

Keeping one hand on the wall to guide him, he made his way into the
bedroom, which was equally dark.

There was no sound of movement, either. Tuvok must be asleep... his
eyes were beginning to adjust as he approached the shadowy bed
quietly.

"Tuvok?" he whispered.

An arm snaked around his waist and pulled him, screaming, into the
warm nest. Another hand covered his mouth until he shut up, then Tuvok
placed a finger against his lips in the universal gesture for silence.

Harry stared up at the suspiciously bright eyes. "You're supposed to
be ill."

"I was. I recovered."

"When, exactly?"

Tuvok chose not to answer that and instead traced the younger man's
lips lightly with his tongue.

"You're trying to distract me."

"Perhaps."  Tuvok brushed his lips against Harry's for just a second.

"It's working."

"I know." He allowed Harry to deepen the kiss for a minute before
drawing back again.

"You sneaky bastard."

"You wouldn't have me any other way." Tuvok raised one eyebrow smugly
and casually began working on the fastenings to Harry's pants with one
hand.

Agreeing wholeheartedly that nakedness would be a good thing, Harry
pulled his shirt over his head and pushed it out of the way.

"And they say Vulcans are so honest...." He shifted and Tuvok removed
the last offending items of clothing.

"It is all..." Tuvok ran a finger lightly down his lover's bare chest,
"...for your benefit. All of it."

Harry breathed deeply. "Do you have any idea what that does to me?"

Tuvok settled himself between Harry's legs, met his eyes for a long
moment and then bent and kissed him slowly and tenderly.

"Yes."

---

The End