The BLTS Archive- Room Mates
by Cheryl Forbes (forbesc@skyia.com)

---

Disclaimer: Voyager and her crew are the property of Paramount and not
me. Whatever.

---

"Any questions?"

The previous day Voyager had come across a seemingly dead ship. After
scanning it, they found while the engine core was dead the rest of the
ship was not. Sustaining themselves on breathing units, since life
support was out, were 47 passengers. They called themselves Mikans and
the ship they were aboard was pleasure vessel that had been savagely
attacked by pirates. After killing the command crew, the rogues had
divested the passengers of their valuables and left them to die. They
had been adrift a day when Voyager picked up their distress beacon,
and had transferred them shipboard.

"Yeah, Captain I have a question."

"What is it Mr. Paris?"

"It's going take two weeks to return these people to their home
planet, right? Well, where are we going put them all during that
time?"

The captain picked the PADD that had been sitting in front of her on
the conference table. She knew some of the people in this room weren't
going to like her answer.

"Good question Lieutenant. We're going to double up. Everyone has just
acquired a roommate."

This time Harry Kim's hand came up. He would probably request Tom
Paris as a roomy. He was about to be disappointed.

"Captain. So that means we all have to pair up and choose someone to
share quarters with."

"I'm sorry Ensign but in the absence of time I have already selected
the pairs. You'll share a cabin with the person next closest in rank
to you. For instance, Mr. Tuvok and I will be bunking together and so
on. I will post the list on the comm channel after I make my ship wide
announcement."

She looked around the conference table and saw all eyes straining to
read the PADD in her hand. She placed back down on the table and
folded her hands.

"It'll will only be two weeks people and during that time I hope to
see you all doing your best to make our temporary passengers feel at
home. Dismissed."

---

Shit, shit, shit. Tom shifted the duffel bag on his shoulder. Of all
times to get his pip back. If he was still an ensign he would have
probably been rooming with Harry but as he was a lieutenant again,
that meant sharing a cabin with Commander Chakotay. Shit, shit, shit.

Over the last six years they have developed a marginally good working
relationship but as a rule avoided each other in social situations.
The past still hung between them preventing a more affable
relationship and still threatening their professional one. Neither man
was willing to push that particular envelope.

Tom arrived at the commander's door and before he touched the pad to
press the chime, the door opened automatically. The door had already
been keyed to accept his bio-signature. Oooh, the ever-vigilant first
officer strikes again. He squared his shoulders, took a deep breath
and entered.

"Uh, Commander?"

No answer. He put down his pack, sat on the lounge and scanned the
room. It was ordered and neat, everything in its place, just like the
man. Tom chuckled to himself. He'd have to break the big guy of that
disgusting habit. He swung his legs up, rested them on the low table
before him and took a second look around. Brightly coloured rugs
adorned the walls. Family photos and small wooden sculptures were
displayed on shelves. Tom found it difficult to connect the warmth of
the décor with the man he knew.

In Tom's opinion, the commander saw everything as either black or
white, good or bad. No gray areas for the first officer. You were
either a good little soldier or a screw up and Tom knew which category
he'd been placed in. His cold demeanor towards him said it all.

Shrugging his shoulders, Tom got up and proceeded into the bedroom to
unpack. He'd deal with Chakotay the way he always did, by pushing his
buttons and acting as if he didn't give a fuck what the man thought of
him. Because he didn't really, did he? Maybe a little but that's
definitely all.

Still arguing with himself, Tom put away his things.

---

"Computer, location of Lieutenant Paris?"

"Lieutenant Paris is in his quarters."

OK but does that mean Tom is in his old quarters or mine? He leaned
back in his chair in his office and ran his fingers through his hair.
Frustrated Chakotay asked again.

"Computer, is anyone in my quarters?"

"Affirmative."

Damn computer!

"Computer, who is in my quarters?"

"Lieutenant Thomas Paris."

Finally! He knew he shouldn't be so exasperated with the computer but
the idea of having the blonde blue eyed pilot sharing a cabin with him
was just a little upsetting. No it was a lot upsetting. The man had
already invaded his private thoughts and now he was invading his
private space. He wondered what spirits he had offended to deserve
this.

He had lusted after the lieutenant ever since he had seen him in that
seedy bar on that backwater planet but he had not acted on that lust.
There had been no time, the Federation had captured Tom before an
opportunity to take him to his bed had arisen. And then there was the
fiasco in the Badlands.

It had been a shock to see him again on Voyager but even through his
anger at the man's betrayal, Chakotay found he still wanted him.
Unfortunately Tom's flippant and often cutting remarks had made it
clear that those feelings were not returned. So his pride had force
him to hide his emotions and project an air of indifference when
around him. However in the privacy of his cabin he let loose his
desires through his fantasies. Many a night he lay in bed bringing
himself to completion thinking of that slender form against his.

Now the object of his desire would be sharing his bed. Well not
exactly his bed, a cot had been set up beside it, but it was close
enough. Close enough to see him, smell him and worse close enough to
touch him. Spirits, he was getting hard just sitting here thinking
about it. So stop thinking about it, Chakotay!

He sat forward and began reviewing one of the endless reports on his
console. He figured he could stay late enough in his office until Tom
went to sleep and tomorrow he could be up and gone before he woke. On
the bridge with others around he could maintain his decorum but in the
intimacy of his quarters, he was afraid of letting something slip. He
couldn't risk making Tom aware of the hold he had over him. His
rejection would damage both Voyager's command structure and maybe more
importantly he admitted, his ego. He would not, could not let that
happen.

The commander winced as he realized he'd be eating Nelix's cooking for
the next while to save the extra credits he'd require for cold showers
and his boxing program on the holodeck. He would need both to relieve
the sexual tension he was sure he'd be feeling. Talk about adding
insult to injury. He lifted his eyes skyward.

He really must have done something really awful to piss the spirits
off this much.

---

Tom finally found himself a table in the messhall and waited for Harry
to join him. It wasn't an easy task considering how many of the Mikans
filled the room. They loved Nelix's cooking and seemed to spend most
of their time on Voyager in the messhall. Tom looked down at the riot
of smells and colours on his own plate and cringed. Well I guess there
no accounting for taste. He was poking the pulsating blue concoction
with his fork when Harry joined him.

"Are you going to eat it or play with it?"

"I'm just making sure it's dead and not going to jump off my plate and
go for my jugular." Tom replaced his wary look with one of his famous
smiles. "Speaking of going for the jugular, how's the new roomy?"

"B'Elanna? Well she let me sleep "in" the cabin last night." He leaned
forward and looked accusingly at Tom. "You know you could have told me
she liked to walk her around her quarters nude!"

Tom choked back a laugh and looked at Harry with all the seriousness
he could muster.

"Sorry Har, but I didn't think it was that important. B'el doesn't
usually care who sees her naked." He feigned disbelief. "Gods Harry
tell me you didn't make a move on her."

"Are you kidding? I like all my parts where they are. It's just that I
wasn't expecting her to walk out of the bedroom without her clothes
and see her. . . her. . . you know..."

"Breasts, Harry. They're called breasts."

"Yeah whatever. Anyway I was crossing the room at the time and didn't
see the chair, tripped and grabbed the closest thing I could to break
my fall."

Oh this was just too funny. Tom could barely keep a straight face.

"Gods Harry. Please tell me you didn't."

"Yeah I did and I think it cracked."

Cracked? B'Elanna was pretty solid but she wasn't that rigid. Tom
didn't have to fake disbelief this time.

"Harry, you lost me there. What exactly did you crack?"

"Her Bat'leth. It was hanging on the wall beside me. I didn't mean to
knock it off the wall. I even tried catching it but it went flying and
hit the table." Harry's voice rose an octave. "I tried telling her I
was sorry and that it was an accident but before I had a chance to say
anything she threw me out. When I tried getting back in, I found she'd
used her command code to lock me out."

Tom was laughing openly now. Poor Harry. When it came to women the guy
just couldn't catch a break.

"Oh sure laugh it up smart guy. You're not the one that had to grovel
for the last four days just to be able to sleep on a less than
comfortable lounge in what's supposed to be your quarters too."

"Oh Harry, I'm sorry. It's just that seeing someone else being the
focus of that woman's temper is oddly refreshing. Before we broke up,
I'd did my share of groveling too before I realized it wasn't worth
the bother. I sympathize Har, I really do."

At his words, Ensign Kim blushed.

"Well it really isn't too bad. Last night before we went to sleep we
listened to some Klingon opera. It was kinda nice. You know what I
mean, when she starts singing along, letting the song carry her away
and she gets that faraway look on her face. She made me really feel
the music."

No he didn't know. Whenever B'el played that awful racket she called
music, he always found an excuse to be some where else. Harry's
response to it surprised him. No it absolutely amazed him.

"Well enough about my roomy, how about yours? What's it like bunking
with Voyager's resident icon of inflexibility?"

"Not too bad really. I mean I never see the guy unless were on bridge
duty together."

Tom thought about it. It was like living with a ghost. Sometimes you'd
find things moved but you weren't sure how they got there. At night he
feel the man's presence when he came to bed but there was never any
communication between them. No good nights, no see ya in the morning,
no nothing.

The commander was ignoring him and Tom Paris wasn't used to being
ignored. For good or for bad people always took notice of Thomas
Eugene Paris. No one had ever actually pretended as if he didn't exist
and in Tom's mind it didn't matter what you thought of him as long as
you thought of him. Some how that gave him the substance he didn't
feel he had on his own. It took him a moment to realize Harry was
still talking.

"So no thirty laps around the hydroponics bay for leaving dirty
underwear lying about. What about cleaning the head with your
toothbrush if you don't put the toothpaste cap back on? Come on Tom
give it up, what's it like living with such a hard ass?"

"It's OK Harry, really. Like I said I never see the guy so I just
about do whatever I please. I don't think he gives me a second
thought. It's not much different than being in my own quarters except
it's neater and smells a whole lot nicer."

Harry looked at him as if he didn't believe him. After his own hard
luck story Tom was sure he was hoping to hear that he wasn't adjusting
to his new accommodations any better. Tom almost wished he did have a
story to tell. It was better than saying that the commander didn't
care one way or the other that Tom was living in his quarters.

"Fine be that way. Just don't expect me to listen when the commander
really does come down on your ass. See ya on the bridge."

Tom waved absentmindedly as Harry left the messhall. Tom was thinking
about ways to get Chakotay's attention. He had already done the things
Harry had mention with no response, so what was left? The only thing
other than making a mess of things that Tom figured he was good at was
sex. But would Chakotay respond to that and would he welcome the
response? Well it wouldn't hurt to test the waters, after all Tom had
no aversion to men, sex was sex in his opinion. It didn't matter what
was there and what wasn't. If it felt good, he was all for it.

Tom got up, giving his seat to a Mikan with a rather full plate,
planning his seduction of Chakotay as he left the messhall.

---

Chakotay stretched the sleep out of his languid muscles as he readied
himself to begin the day and get out of bed. As he did each morning he
treated himself to a look at Tom's body reposed in sleep. Later in the
shower he would use that same image to fuel his fantasies and to bring
himself off. However this morning the cot was empty. As jealousy began
to take hold of him wondering where Tom had spent the night, he heard
movement in the head. Chakotay closed his eyes in relief, he was here;
the lieutenant had merely gotten up earlier than he usually did.

Through the steam escaping from the bathroom emerged the fodder of his
fantasies. Chakotay feigned sleep and watched as Tom performed his
morning absolutions.

He was wearing nothing but a white towel slung low on his hips. Tom
retrieved his clothing from the dresser and the closet and brought
them over to the cot. Chakotay watched through hooded eyelids the
pilot's fingers as he released the knot holding the towel.

Not two feet from him stood his Tom, unclothed bearing his all. His
back was to him displaying his taut buttocks and the sensuous play of
his shoulders as he reached for his clothing. As he pulled his
undershirt over his head his spine curved and the commander watched as
the muscles of his calves and butt contracted. Chakotay had to bite
his bottom lip to prevent himself from shouting out his desire as he
watched Tom continue to dress. Never before had the sight of a man
dressing instead of disrobing aroused him this much.

With a final smoothing of his uniform with his hands the lieutenant
left the room.

On shaky legs, the commander got out of bed and went into the head. It
was still warm and steamy from Tom's shower earlier. He stepped into
the stall and activated the sonics.

Chakotay leaned forward with his arms outstretched against the front
of the stall. The faint vibrations caused by the sonics made his
sensitized skin tingle, heightening his state of arousal. Planting his
feet squarely apart, he brought one hand to his chest, sliding it
downward to cup his balls. With a tender squeeze, the lieutenant's
name escaped his lips. His fingers circled his cock pulling roughly a
few times before they began stroking in earnest. Tom's performance
this morning had precluded his normal routine of slow rapture.

With his eyes closed and his head back, Chakotay pictured himself
pumping into Tom. Imagining the heat of his own palm as the heat of
Tom's tight passage. Feeling his balls tightening he stroked harder,
his fist slamming into his belly as he did so.

"Oh Tom, oh Tom. . . Tom!"

His release spurted over his hand, slicking his cock and soothing the
chafed skin of his penis momentarily before the sonics whisked it
away. Chakotay moved his arm back to the front of the stall and buried
his head in his shoulder as a mixed feeling of elation and guilt over
took him.

"Spirits Tom what have you done to me?"

Standing there in the shower, Chakotay asked a question the object of
his query was never meant to hear. But he did.

---

"Computer, diffuse viewport and dim lights to 40 percent."

Tom heard the shrill whistle of the Delta Flyer's computer as it
complied with his commands.

Looking for a place to be alone with his thoughts, Tom had run the
gambit of all his favorite havens. Sandrine's, Hydroponics and even
Deck 15 had been crawling with Mikans. Ensign Harren had been holding
court expounding his theories regarding the creation of the universe
to the surprisingly enthralled group. Again Tom wondered about these
people's taste in pleasure. He fled to the Flyer, his last bastion of
privacy.

He sat at the conn, staring at the darkened viewport in front of him.
This morning he had seen something that had literally rocked his
world. He had spent the entire day trying to process what he had now
in his mind labeled the "shower scene" and still fly the ship at the
same time. It had been a very near thing.

All he had wanted to do was provoke some kind of response in the
ever-stoic commander. He had not been prepared for his own. Sneaking
back to see if his performance had made the man stand up (no pun
intended) and take notice of him had been successful, had been an
impulse.

Tom had almost tripped over the man's sleep pants as he peered around
the edge of the door of the bathroom. He could feel the thrum of
sonics as Chakotay began his shower. He had never seen the commander
nude before and the sight of him now took his breath away. Every
muscle was beautifully defined, encased by smooth bronze skin and
surrounded by the only body hair Tom could see was Chakotay erect
long, thick cock. He watched it quiver in arousal until the
commander's hand blocked it from view.

Tom brushed his own now raging erection through his uniform as he
watched the man in the shower service himself. It was the most erotic
thing he had ever seen. He was the epitome of lust, of pleasure and in
that moment of watching Chakotay, Tom knew he would never become
aroused again without picturing this image in his mind. He was hardly
aware that his hand had breached his trousers and was touching flesh.

" Oh Tom, oh Tom. . . Tom!"

He had to grip the doorframe and bite his lip to prevent falling to
his knees and calling Chakotay's name in reply as he came.

Trying to recover Tom rolled till his back was against the wall beside
the door. He was trying to put himself back to rights, thinking he
would have to miss breakfast in the messhall with Harry to stop by the
gym to clean up, when he heard Chakotay's voice again.

"Spirits Tom what have you done to me?"

You?! Tom tilted his head back and squeezed his eyes shut. Shit Chak
what the hell did you just to do me. Tom tried not to laugh
hysterically. Not only did he get a reaction from Chakotay, but
Chakotay had also made him react. He looked down. Yeah he had just
"reacted" all over his uniform. He sobered. It wasn't supposed to
happen this way. He was the one that was supposed to be in control,
not lose it. Gods all he had wanted to do was test the waters not
drown. He had fled the room trying to make sense of it all.

He couldn't settle in the comm chair. His body was taking its cue from
his mind. Tom got up and walked the length of the Flyer and back again
before sitting on sloped floor leading to the cockpit wrapping his
arms around his knees. Tom considered what to do next.

Distance, he needed distance. Tom considered yeah and maybe a good
fuck. Chakotay's firm body immediately came to mind. No, no Tommy Boy
somebody other than god's gift to blonde blue eyed pilots. Somebody
that would engage his desires not his emotions.

Maybe he'd try Sandrine's again. The Mikans while being fairly short
in stature were not all that unattractive. The males of the species
were light green and the females were a faintly metallic shade of
orange. He wasn't exactly sure if they preferred one gender to another
but since gender didn't matter to Tom it wouldn't matter which colour
he ended up with.

Feeling like he had a better handle on the situation, Tom exited the
Delta Flyer and made his way to Holodeck Two.

---

"Deck Two"

Chakotay moved to the back of the turbolift and watched the blinking
panels on the walls as it moved to its destination, his office.

He'd been spending most of his nights there going over reports and
schedules in his effort to avoid his roommate. Unfortunately now he
was so caught up with his paperwork, a first for him, that he spent
most of his time in his office playing chess with the computer. He
smiled to himself in remembrance. It had been one of his father's
favorite games, one he had regularly beaten his son at. Maybe in his
next dreamwalk he'd show the old man the results of all his recent
practice.

The lift stopped part way to its destination on Deck 8 to admit
another passenger.

The commander broke his revelry as the lift's doors opened. Tom Paris
stood framed in the doorway. Their eyes locked momentarily before Tom
strode in and stood adjacent to the commander.

"Deck Six."

Chakotay suddenly felt every hair in his head, (and elsewhere but he
tried to ignore that part of his anatomy) stand on end as the
beautiful pilot stood beside him. Trying to banish the sight of Tom's
splendid body from his mind and break what was becoming a tangible
silence, he spoke.

"Going to the Holodeck, Lieutenant?"

Tom. You called me Tom this morning the "lieutenant" thought before he
answered.

"Yeah, I thought I'd might introduce the Mikans to the time honoured
game of billiards. You know just doing my duty. The captain did say
she wanted us to make them feel at home."

"Yes she did, however I hope you will refrain from also introducing
the Mikans to your equally time honoured concept of wagering."

"Oh yeah sure commander, just a few friendly games. So what are you up
to tonight?"

"Reports. A first officer's work is never done. It'll be another late
night for me."

The lift stopped, opening its doors on Deck Six. Tom made the two
steps to the opened doors and then swiveled to face Chakotay. For the
second time since entering the lift Tom looked at him.

"Well don't work too hard, OK."

He stepped back and the doors closed. Chakotay still struck by the
force of the blue eyes looking at him answered automatically even
though the lieutenant was gone.

"OK."

---

"Checkmate"

For the third time in a row Chakotay had beaten the computer on level
18 of the chess program. He been in his office an hour and was
becoming increasingly frustrated with himself. There was really no
point to his being here. He had nothing to do here and he would be a
whole lot comfortable doing nothing in his cabin. Tom was in
Sandrine's probably fleecing a few Mikans; he would have the whole
cabin to himself for a couple of hours. Maybe he could meditate and
help relieve the tension he could feel in his neck all the way down to
the base of his spine.

Chakotay signed off his computer and headed to his quarters.

---

The noise hit him like a tidal wave. As he walked into Sandrine's a
cacophony of voices and music washed over him. Mikans with a
spattering of Voyager's crew filled the holodeck taking up almost all
available space.

Tom squeezed through the press of bodies to find himself a space at
the bar. He ordered a beer and turned around to face the action. A
stage had been added to the program and Tom was amazed to see Harry up
there with his clarinet with a bunch of Mikans who were playing what
Tom supposed were instruments, wailing out a melody that could only be
described as loud. There was no discernible rhythm or down beat but
the Mikans were dancing and applauding with crazed enthusiasm anyway.
Tom looked again. Gods, was that B'Elanna on drums?

Tom shook his head and turned back to the bar to find another beer
placed in front of him. Before he had a chance to ask where it came
from he felt a small warm hand on his ass.

"Very pretty. Is pretty one thirsty?"

Tom looked down to his left to see a pale green face smiling up at
him. He assumed correctly that this was the owner of the hand on his
butt. The hand began to slip between his cheeks, exploring his inner
thighs and brushing his balls. Tom brought his thighs together and
twisted, interrupting the inquisitive fingers. He put his empty glass
down and picked up the full one in front of him.

"Thanks, I'm Tom and you would be?"

The bright green eyes glowed as the creature's hands transferred
themselves from his ass to his chest, playing with the opening of his
jacket.

"Sh'ek, my name is Sh'ek. So pretty. Does pretty one want to play?"

Before Tom could answer, someone in an effort to get a drink at the
bar shoved him forward into Sh'ek. The Mikan took this an affirmative
answer to his question and transferred his fondling from Tom's chest
to his nether regions. In the crowd no one saw as the Mikan's hands
delved beyond the waist of his trousers and into his pants.

He felt the small deft fingers tracing the length of his cock as he
continued to let his gaze rove the crowd seemingly unaffected.
Thankfully the Mikan wasn't tall enough to meet his eyes or it would
have shattered the illusion of a broad bronze hand touching him.

"Yes, very pretty. Sh'ek wants the pretty one."

The sound of the Mikan's voice broke the spell and Tom jerk away
feeling almost violated by the man's touch. He pulled the hands away
and straighten his uniform.

"I'm sorry. I have to go. Uh, thanks for the drink." He pulled away
from the confused Mikan who had turned a darker shade of green.

"No. Pretty Tom belongs to Sh'ek. Pretty Tom stays."

As tactfully as he could the lieutenant extricated himself from the
clutches of the now distraught Mikan.

"Look I'm sorry Sh'ek but I gotta go. Maybe we can hook up later but
duty calls and I have go do some, some. . . piloting. OK? I'll see ya
later."

Tom didn't wait for an answer from the diminutive alien as he fought
the crowd and left the holodeck for his quarters.

---

With the lights dimmed to 30 percent Chakotay had sat wearing his
sleep pants with his medicine bundle in his hands and willed for the
umpteenth time for his spirit guide to meet him. He would just skirt
the dream plane before it would dissolve before him into the realm of
his quarters.

He adjusted the woven rug beneath him and tried again to still his
mind. Thoughts of blue eyes and golden hair disrupted his thoughts
preventing him from reaching the tranquillity he required to meditate.
It was ironic since the very things that were stopping him from
reaching his spirit guide where the very things he desperately needed
to reach his guide for.

He needed an answer to his passion. A reason for his need. He had
hoped that his spirit guide's wisdom would give him these answers but
it seemed he was to be denied that avenue of discovery. He would have
to do this on his own.

Dispassionately as a counselor of human emotions he would like to
diagnose his problem as an attraction that had developed into
obsession. Unfortunately as a man he knew that wasn't the case. He
wasn't becoming obsessed with Tom Paris; he was falling in love and
that was something that no amount of counseling could cure.

Unrequited love. It was something that he read about before but had
never experienced. He was in love with a man he didn't have a chance
of ever being with. A man that while gave him a respect due his rank
would never return his feelings.

In his misery he barely registered the sound of the doors of his cabin
swishing open.

---

Tom raced down the corridor on the way to his quarters ignoring the
acknowledgments of his fellow shipmates in his desire to be alone.
Tonight's venture had been a total fiasco. In his effort to banish
Chakotay from his thoughts he had only managed to bring those thoughts
to the forefront. He had fervently wanted the release the little alien
had offered only to find the only one he wanted to relieve him of his
anxiety was the one he was running from.

He cursed his emotions. He never wanted to be that "out there"
emotionally. He never wanted to take that risk. He was setting himself
up for a fall letting someone have that power over him and his
happiness. Being in love makes you act like a fool, just stupid and
totally out of control. He reached the door of his temporary quarters,
pressed the pad and entered.

---

The phrase "Spiritual Warrior" was the first thing came into his mind
when he saw Chakotay sitting on the rug in the middle of the room.

What the hell what was he doing here, was the second. He was supposed
to in his office not here doing his Indian thing half-naked in their
quarters. It just wasn't fucking fair! Already Tom could feel the
blood rushing to his cock and all the guy was doing was sitting there.
Chakotay's eyes fluttered opened and then opened wide as he took in
Tom presence before him.

"Lieutenant?"

Tom winced at hearing Chak use his formal title. Here in the intimacy
of "their" quarters it just didn't seem right anymore.

"Tom, my name is Tom." He pressed the point by emphasizing his next
words. " OK Chakotay?"

"OK Tom. What happened to your plans of being Voyager's goodwill
ambassador? Why aren't you in the holodeck?"

For a moment Tom thought about telling him the tale of Sh'ek curious
at what the reaction would be. Would the big guy be jealous or
disgusted? Not willing to chance the latter he replied,

"Oh that. Well it seems Harry and B'Elanna had already filled the
position. So I thought I'd leave them to it and come back here to
relax instead." He shifted from one foot to the other, "What about
you? No reports tonight?"

Chakotay looked pointedly up Tom trying not to let his eyes wander
down the front of the pilot's trousers where he swore he could see the
beginnings of an erection. No it couldn't be, it had to be the dim
lighting and his over worked libido that made him imagine that the man
was becoming aroused.

"No, no reports."

"So you're what, meditating or something like that?"

"Yes, something like that. I was trying to contact my spirit guide."

"Is it hard?"

Chakotay, distracted by the man's phrase, spoke without thinking.

"Sometimes. Would you like to try it?"

"Yeah, wait right there." Tom dashed towards the bedroom. He spoke
over his shoulder, "Don't move, I'll be right back."

Chakotay stared at the doors of the bedroom as Tom disappeared behind
them. What did he just do? Helping someone find his or her spirit
guide was a deeply personal act. He had done it for both Kathryn and
B'Elanna as a way of conveying his respect and friendship. However
doing it for someone he cared for on a deeper level would also convey
those deeper feelings. The spirits wouldn't allow him to hide behind
his commander façade in the dream plane. Well with any luck his spirit
guide would continue to avoid him tonight, he thought of her often
twisted sense of humour, and wasn't sure.

As soon as Tom entered the sleeping area he began stripping off his
clothes scattering them all over the room. He reached for his sleep
pants and drew them on. Maybe the only way he was going to get over
the big guy was to just get it over with and get it out of his system
once and for all. He headed back out to the living area.

He plopped himself down in front Chakotay and crossed his legs, his
kneecaps touching the commanders. He tried to be cool and ignore the
bolt of electricity he felt go straight to his groin at their
connection.

"OK, I'm ready. Now what?"

Spirits, so this was the front view looked like. Red-gold curls spread
across a lean muscled chest circling pink nipples and tapering down
and disappearing under the drawstring waist of Tom pants. With great
effort to ignore the beauty before him, he readied them for their
dreamwalk.

"Close your eyes and picture a place that makes you feel safe and
contented."

Tom watched as Chakotay closed his eyes but kept his own opened. For
the first time that night he allowed himself to drink in the strong
quiet essence the commander radiated. By now his cock was fully erect
making a tent in his pants, his pre-cum staining the top.

"I'm there Chak."

"Good. Now tell me where you are."

"I'm in our cabin."

As he began to explain to Tom his question was not meant literally he
felt hands sliding along his upper thighs, fingertips kneading the
muscles there. He opened his eyes to Tom's face inches away from his.

"Chakotay I want you to fuck me."

Hearing the boldness of Tom's statement brought many responses to mind
but no wasn't one of them.

The pilot saw the reaction the crudeness of his words ensconced. The
commander's eyes dilated and his breathing became deeper, more
labored. He went with it.

"I want to feel your cock inside me. Take me so hard that I scream
your name for more. Fuck me Chak and make me yours."

Disregarding the danger to ego, Chakotay encased the pilot's face
between his hands and took his lips in a crushing kiss. Teeth gnashed
teeth before their tongues came together tasting and exploring. He
felt the drawstring of his pants being undone and then hands stroking
his erection, lightly rolling his balls.

His hands tighten in the blonde hair as he released Tom's mouth and
began nipping and teasing with his teeth and tongue the underside of
the man's jaw down to his collarbone.

"Touch me Chakotay, please."

Chakotay clasped Tom's biceps and pushed him back onto rug. Tom
uncrossed his legs and made room for the commander's body between
them. Tom's head and ass were driven into the floor by Chakotay's
mouth and hips. The double assault made his head whirl with pleasure.
The room was still spinning when he felt the weight lift and his pants
torn from his body. And then there was nothing. His eyes squeezed shut
as panic edged Tom's consciousness.

"Chakotay?"

"I'm here baby."

Warm oil trickled over his cock and between the cheeks of his ass. Tom
released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding when he felt a
broad hand on his erection and a finger rimming his anus. He spread
his knees and lifted his butt into Chakotay touch.

"Gods, Chakotay fuck me!"

"I am Tom, oh baby I am."

He tried to turn over but Chakotay held him fast.

"No baby, I want to see you."

The commander grabbed a pillow from the lounge and placed under the
hips of the man he had wanted for so long. He needed to see Tom's face
as he rammed himself into him. He needed to see his desire returned.
He oiled his cock and inserted a finger into Tom to ready him.

"Shit Chakotay just fucking do it!"

He placed kisses on the insides of Tom's calves as he brought those
long slender legs up over his shoulders. Chakotay took hold of his
penis and breached Tom's opening. Spirits it was tight, so warm, in
all his imaginings he could have never come close to this. He felt Tom
straining to meet him as the passage relaxed enough for him to remove
his hand and press deeper into the heat.

"Oh yeah Chak, like that, yeah like that."

Chakotay looked into a face thrown back in pleasure. He tried to burn
the image of Tom's swollen lips, tousled hair and the traces of his
own mouth on the gracefully curved throat into his memory. He pushed
his hips forward until he was entirely embedded in Tom's ass.

"Move Chakotay, just fucking move!"

The commander rocked his hips, obeying the pleading man beneath him in
earnest. Leaning forward he grasped Tom's shoulders for leverage as he
thrust repeatedly into him. The pilot's erection was pressed between
their bellies and was stimulated by the movement of his body. He felt
it spasm and then shoot a stream of cum hitting his chest.

"Chakotay!"

Feeling his balls contract, Chakotay pumped hard a finale few times as
he came deep inside his lover.

"Oh Tom, oh Tom. . . Tom!"

Slipping out of his lover the commander fell forward bearing the
weight of his body on his elbows. Feathered kisses traced his tattoo
and warm hands caressed his back and buttocks. He looked into those
shining blue eyes.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm more than all right. In fact I'd have to say that "all
right" would be a bit of an understatement at the moment."

"Tom what just happened here?"

"Sex Chakotay, its called sex." Tom saw Chakotay open his mouth to say
more and slid a hand around to cover his lips. "I wanted you and you
wanted me, it doesn't have to mean anything more than that. We've just
found something better to do together other than playing pool and
having a few drinks in Sandrine's, OK?"

"I think it's a bit more complicated than that Tom."

Tom saw Chakotay's typical black and white mentality surfacing as the
big guy rolled off him and place an arm over his eyes. He have to
think fast and come up with a convincing argument if he ever wanted to
feel the commander's desire for him again. And he most certainly did.
The knack would be convincing him that it was OK for them to satisfy
each other without developing any messy entanglements. He rolled on
his side and pulled the commander's arm away from his face.

"Look Chak, we can do this. We're not going to be able to deny what
happened between us so why not just go for it. Outside this cabin you
can still do your commander thing and I can still do my cocky flyboy
bit but when we're alone we can just be Tom and Chakotay. Come on,
it's just one more week anyway. What do you say?"

The commander looked at the beauty he had so recently made love to and
couldn't believe he was lying here trying to come up with arguments on
why he couldn't do it again. Well then again he could. Tom was
offering to be his lover, not offering his love. While he acknowledged
that it was less that he had hoped for it was also more. So for "now"
he would agree to Tom's terms. It didn't matter that it was a lie.

"OK. But I do have one condition."

"Sure Chak, anything. What is it?"

Chakotay looked down at his abraded knees and the condition of his
rug.

"Next time we do it in bed, OK?"

Surprised and delighted by the commander's humour, Tom landed a big
wet one on his lips. He pulled back and gave Chakotay a smile that
melted his heart.

"You got it big guy! Let's go."

Tom sprung up like gazelle and pulled him up off the floor. As his new
lover led him into the other room, Chakotay prayed to the Spirits for
strength.

---

"He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me!"

Tom finished pruning the Doc's medicinal herb garden, then began
categorizing the leaf samples and putting them into vacuum-sealed
containers. The EMH had recently been researching the healing
properties of various alien plant samples and had created small
hydroponic garden in Sickbay.

In an effort to dodge Sh'ek, who seemed to be everywhere Tom was with
the notable exception of the bridge, he had offered to take an
afternoon shift in Sickbay. Curiously it was one of the few places the
Mikans avoided on Voyager, much to the chagrin of the doctor. He spent
all his time making "cabin" calls to the mildly hypochondriac aliens,
in fact that's where he was now. Apparently on their planet medical
science came to them not the other way around. So except for patching
few minor injuries to his fellow crewmen, Tom had enjoyed a fairly
peaceful and "Sh'ek free" afternoon.

Tom sniffed the current sample he was handling. Mmm? It smelt a little
like basil. Too bad it was natural laxative or he might have
considered using it the spaghetti he was going to make him and Chak
for dinner later. Spending all night in the head did not make for a
romantic evening.

Tom caught himself. A romantic evening? After one night in the
commander's arms he was playing the role of the newlywed. He had even
gone back to their quarters on his lunch break to tidy up the place
and replicate candles and fresh flowers. Gods, next he be picking out
the big guy's clothes and making vacation plans. What the hell was he
doing? He was supposed to be just fucking Chakotay not courting him.

Not liking the path his mind was taking him down, Tom simply chose
another. He rationalized that he was doing all these niceties really
for himself. He liked candles and flowers and spaghetti too. And after
all a happy Chakotay was a horny Chakotay, right? Right.

Feeling better about the situation, he concentrated on finishing the
task at hand so he could get home and start dinner. It took him a
moment to register the soft breathing behind him. He froze. Please let
it not be Sh'ek. When broad arms circled his waist, he relaxed.

"Guess who?"

"Harry?"

The arms tightened and teeth nibbled at his earlobe.

"No, guess again."

Tom brought his arms up and folded them over the ones embracing him
bringing his mystery guest closer.

"It's not Captain Janeway unless she's been working out a lot lately.
Hmm, maybe Tuvok?"

"Wrong again, need a hint?"

He heard a soft chuckle in his ear and a hardness against his ass. A
playful Chakotay and a horny Chakotay? He could get used to this real
fast.

"You're sure it's not Tuvok because I've heard stories and. . . "

"Time's up."

Strong arms spun him around and before he had a chance to name his
captor, full lips took his own. The kiss was slow and deep, making Tom
tingle from the back of his neck to his knees. He wrapped his arms
around Chakotay's neck and hung on for dear life. The commander gently
broke the kiss and smiled, his dimples in full force.

"Hi."

Tom's voice was a whisper when he answered.

"Hi."

"Are you going to be here much longer?"

"Ah maybe another half hour or so. What about you? Are you done being
the first officer for the day?"

"Almost. I've got a quick meeting with the captain to go to and then
I'll be heading for our quarters. I shouldn't be more than an hour,
OK?"

"OK. That'll give me time to grab a shower before I start dinner."

This time Tom's mind didn't even register the domesticity of his words
but his partner did.

Chakotay gave his lover a quick squeeze and kissed his forehead before
he let him go.

"Bye, baby."

Tom stood and watched until the commander had left Sickbay before he
returned to his duties.

---

"May I ask what you're doing Mr Paris?"

Tom stopped his surveillance of the hall outside Sickbay and turned
his head to face the EMH.

"I'm just checking to see if the coast is clear."

"Clear of what may I ask."

Tom stepped back and allowed the Sickbay doors to swish close. With
his palm facing downward, he outstretched his arm.

"Clear of a little green guy about this high."

"I see, a friend of yours."

"No not exactly a friend."

The Doc's eyebrows rose, crinkling his forehead.

"Oh, I see."

"No Doc you don't. He's not that kind of a friend either."

"Really Mr Paris, I was not inferring a sexual relationship. I am well
aware that you are otherwise engaged in that department. I meant I
understood this person is someone you wish to avoid."

This time Tom's eyebrows rose. Otherwise engaged?

"Ah Doc, how long have you been back?"

"47 minutes. Not that you would have noticed my return, you were too
busy doing what I believe you would call "sucking face" with Commander
Chakotay."

The lieutenant's mouth dropped and his face flushed.

"Sucking face?"

The doctor straightened his shoulders and indignity crept into his
voice.

"Yes Mr Paris sucking face, necking, kissing. I am quite sure my
research was accurate and I was using the term correctly."

"Research?"

"As Seven's social teacher I have scanned all available information on
Terran mating rituals in Voyager's data banks. Since you're the ships
resident aficionado of 20th century culture, I thought I'd use this
opportunity to apply that knowledge. I've actually become some what of
an expert on the topic. For instance I could have said that you and
the commander were making out or perhaps doing the wild thing or. . . "

"Doc, Doc, I get it. You know your stuff, OK?"

Oh this was just wonderful. Tom could just see the Doc asking him and
Chak to demonstrate "Terran mating rituals" for Seven in her next
lesson. He'd have to put a lid on this fast.

"Look Doc, what you saw was kinda of private. I'd appreciate you
keeping this to yourself, OK?"

Indignity washed over the EMH's features again, a perpetual state for
him when in the lieutenant's presence.

"I'm a doctor Mr Paris not a gossip columnist. If you prefer to keep
your liaison with the first officer secret that is your business.
However if I should have some questions of a strictly educational
nature, I do hope you will accommodate me. I will of course treat
anything you say as confidential."

Tom couldn't believe that however subtly he was being blackmailed by a
hologram. All right an incredibly sophisticated one but a hologram
never the less.

"Fine, whatever just don't say anything or there won't be anything to
ask about, OK?"

The EMH nodded his head and walked around to the medical computer. His
voice was plaintive as his hands brought the console to life.

"You know when Kes was here she didn't have any problem discussing her
biological functions."

Tom rolled his eyes.

"Well in case you hadn't noticed I'm not Kes."

"No you're certainly not and by the way the coast is clear."

"What? Oh thanks Doc. See ya."

After the lieutenant had left the doctor retired to his office. He
replayed the video recording of the interaction between the first
officer and chief pilot. It was a fascinating study of what would have
been called in the 20th century an office romance. He was going to
have lots of questions.

---

"And then kicking and screaming she threw him out of the airlock. It
was a fair solution to the problem, don't you agree Commander?"

"Yes of course Kathryn."

For the last twenty minutes she had been discussing the ramifications
of the crews' recent change in accommodations with the viewport.
Commander Chakotay sat across from her on the lounge in her ready room
either looking out said viewport or straining his neck to read the
chronometer on her desk. She was mildly annoyed but suspecting the
reason for his inattention, also faintly amused. She tested his focus
again.

"Of course with the loss of our Operations Officer, Tom Paris will
have to take his place as the chief engineer's new whipping boy."

"Tom?"

Ah she knew the "T" word would get his attention. When she had put
together the roomy list she knew this pairing would finally be the
catalyst the both men needed to confront their feelings towards each
other. From the moment Chakotay had appeared on her bridge all those
years ago she had felt the sexual tension between him and Voyager's
pilot.

Back then she had seen the tactical advantage of having the Maquis
captain romantically involved with one of her Federation officers. It
would have gone a long way in helping the two diverse crews meld and
become one viable working unit. Unfortunately both men had allowed
pride and typical male posturing blind them to the obvious. Since then
they had been dancing around each other neither man willing to make
the first move. Kathryn had hoped their current situation would
finally knock some sense into the two men and let them see what she
had all along. That both would be lost until they found each other.

"Chakotay is there a particular situation you would like to discuss?"

He was silent for so long she thought that perhaps he wouldn't take
her up on her invitation to discuss his "particular situation".

"Yes there is something that has come to my attention recently. A
relationship has developed between two crewman that has exceeded the
bounds of their previous one."

Terrific he wasn't going to come right out and say he was sleeping
with her chief pilot, he was going to do the "I have this friend" bit.
OK she'd go with it.

"By saying they have exceeded the bounds I take you mean they have
developed a sexual relationship?"

"Yes, but for the duration of their enforced stay together only."

"And the problem is that one of them has found they would like the
relationship to continue after we drop the Mikans off on their home
planet."

"Yes and if they tell the person involved they might risk losing out
in what time they could have together until then. So the problem is
should this person continue to deceive the other enjoying what time
they have or come clean now and disclose their real feelings?"

Kathryn sat back as she considered the problem. Chakotay was a good
man. He was prepared to live and die for what he believed in without
subterfuge; his involvement in the Maquis was a testament to that.
Hiding his feelings from Tom would go against everything that he was.
This relationship must be very important to him if he was considering
compromising those values. Not knowing Tom's side of the story
tempered her answer.

"You know someone once told me that here on Voyager we were in a
unique situation. That we have a hard time applying the same rules
from the Alpha quadrant here in the Delta."

She leaned forward and placed a reassuring hand on the commander's
knee.

"The rules have changed Chakotay and we are going to have to change
with them. I'm inclined to believe that statement is sort of the motto
of our entire voyage. If we've learnt anything here in the Delta
quadrant we've learnt that the rules we've lived by all our lives are
not finite. So in light of that maybe your crewman should wait before
declaring his feelings. You never know what's going to happen tomorrow
that's going to change our entire universe."

Kathryn humbly stepped off her soapbox and waited for Chakotay's
reaction. He looked a little more relaxed and a little more "here" as
opposed to being lost in the stars outside the viewport. He took her
hand from his knee and pressed it within his own.

"You know maybe I should be Captain and you should take over the
duties of first officer and ship's councilor. Interested?"

She slipped her hand from his and placed both of them on either side
of her face in mock horror.

"And have to share quarters with Tom Paris? Hell no."

Chakotay played the game and stood up.

"Oh well it was worth a shot."

As the first officer left, the captain of Voyager gazed at the stars
outside the viewport of her ready room feeling very pleased with
herself.

---

"Checkmate!"

Chakotay stared down at the board. He had been sure Tom had using the
Queen's Gambit Accepted defense so his use of the Grunfeld Gambit
should have defeated him. Chakotay stopped himself and smiled. If he'd
been playing with anyone else it would have. It seemed Tom's chess
playing was as unpredictable as everything else about him was.

"So what do I win?"

Tom leapt from his seat and straddled Chakotay. They'd eaten a good
dinner, played a little chess and now he was ready for dessert. He
looked down at his after dinner treat. Chakotay was peering around him
still looking at the playing pieces on the chessboard. He rubbed his
groin against Chakotay's trying to get the man focused on the piece in
his lap. It worked, sort of.

"Who taught you to play like that?"

The lieutenant stopped squirming and answered the big guy, his voice
taking on a dispassionate air.

"My Dad mostly. He'd make me play for hours and I hated every minute
of it." He took in Chakotay's look of concern and sat back linking his
fingers behind the commander's neck. "Don't get me wrong I love
playing chess but just not with my father. He was a Grandmaster and
played very seriously. He said that chess would teach me strategy and
discipline, qualities necessary to becoming a good Starfleet officer
like him. Hell Chakotay even though I was just a kid, I knew I didn't
want to be like him, ever.

Chakotay had never met the Admiral and was sure he never wanted to.
Any father that would steal the delights of youth from his own child
was not a father in his mind. He could see the damage the man had
caused just by reading Tom's service record.

"I figured a way out of it though. I just twisted the Gambits he
taught me and worked them until I was able to beat him. It took awhile
but eventually he got pissed off enough to stop asking me to play."

The commander cupped the pilot's ass with his hands and brought him
closer.

"I'm sorry Tom."

Tom's puzzlement at his apology increased his resentment towards
Admiral Paris. Tom didn't even realize what he had lost.

"It's OK Chakotay. I still got to play chess with my sisters." Tom
brought his face within inches of the commander's and resumed his
attentions to the man's groin. "Now, if I didn't know better I'd say
you were avoiding my question."

"Question?"

"What do I win, Commander?"

Although the subject of the Admiral was one Chakotay wanted to pursue,
his now fully engorged cock told him that maybe now wasn't a good
time.

"Was there anything you wanted in particular, Lieutenant?"

Blue eyes flashed and a tongue traced a sensuous bottom lip.

"Yeah how about first officer al a mode?"

"I see. Would you settle for the first officer and having the al a
mode part another time."

Tom screwed up his features and made as if to think about the offer.

"I don't know Chak. Dessert isn't really isn't dessert without ice
cream. And maybe we can replicate some cherries and whipped. . . "

Chakotay didn't let the pilot finish his thought as he scooped him up
wrapping the long legs around his waist and headed for the bedroom.

---

They stood naked facing each other in the candlelight with their eyes
locked.

Like an image in a mirror, the men explored the each other's face,
fingers brushing eyelashes, cheekbones and mouths. Stepping closer
they let their bodies meld and their lips come together allowing each
taste and touch be set to memory. There was no haste in their
movements only quiet discovery and acknowledgment.

The dark haired man took his lover's hand and pulled him down to the
bed aligning the pale body along his own. Their legs interwove
allowing their erections to nestle side by side. Clasping one hand
over their heads and the other on their partner's ass they began to
rock against one another. As their movement quickened no words passed
their lips, only moans of pleasure and need.

The pale one as he reached his zenith, sank his teeth into the
shoulder of his mate, causing the source of his catalyst to reach his
own. He spoke the name of his beloved before he drifted into oblivion
of sleep.

"Chakotay."

---

It was early morning when the commander awoke. He looked at the cot
set up beside his bed. It was empty. This time its vacancy didn't
cause him to become alarmed. He knew where Tom was. He kissed the
golden hair of the head resting on his chest and thanked the Spirits.

Tom was his. He knew that now because last night they didn't just have
sex, they had made love and it had taken him totally unaware.

Given the man's impish antics before they had gone to bed, Chakotay
had expected the same rough and tumble sex they had enjoyed the
previous night. But when he had emerged from the head after cleaning
up a bit, he had found Tom nude in the middle of a room softly lit
with candles. He had tried to speak but Tom shook his head and stilled
his lips with his fingers. The slow and gentle lovemaking that had
followed had shattered Chakotay to his core.

He would no longer be able to compromise his feelings towards Tom. He
loved him too much to pretend that he would accept a relationship
without that love, a love he was certain Tom felt too.

"Good Morning big, dark and gorgeous."

He glanced down to a bright smile and a face still flushed with sleep.

"Good Morning to you too, Poocuh."

As Tom snuggled closer to him, he felt the lieutenant's erection brush
his thigh and a questing hand stroke his own.

"You know it could get even better."

A wet tongue teased his nipple.

"Really?"

"Yeah, wanna know how?"

"Sure, I'm up for it."

Tom lifted his head from Chakotay's chest and rolled his eyes at the
man's attempt at humour.

"OK funny man, follow me."

Tom threw back the covers and sauntered into the bathroom. Chakotay
watched the wantonness his lover displayed as he walked across the
room before rousing himself and following.

When Chakotay reached the entrance to the head he settle himself
against the doorframe and watched Tom through the clear pane of the
shower.

His lover was leaning forward into the warm jet of water with one hand
on the stall in front of him and the other stroking his erect penis.
It was an extremely beautiful and arousing scene. Chakotay played the
voyeur until Tom started saying his name in pleasure.

"Oh god Chakotay, oh god, oh god."

Chakotay moved from the doorway and slipped behind Tom in the shower.
Filling his hand with liquid soap from the dispenser on the wall, his
hand went to his erection spreading the foam. Desire clouded his mind
as he spread Tom's cheeks and plunged into him forgoing any
preparation. The pilot cried out and surged back into the commander
his pain momentary. He continued his masturbation as Chakotay's cock
rammed into him.

The tightening of Tom's sphincter signaled to Chakotay his release
causing him to orgasm, the release easing the movement of his strokes.

It was an effort for both of them to remain standing as Chakotay
pulled himself from Tom and brought him around to face him. The spray
from the shower sluiced over their bodies washing away the ecstasy
both had just shared. Chakotay slipped his hand around Tom to stop the
flow. When he was done he used one hand to anchor the pilot to him and
the other he brought up the beautiful blond's face.

"I'm sorry Poocuh, are you all right?"

Tom kissed him with enough force to press Chakotay's shoulders to the
back of the stall. He disengaged his cheek from his beloved's palm and
kissed the mark on his shoulder he had left there last night before
looking him square in the eye.

"Am I all right? Chak are you kidding? That was fan "fucking" tastic.
Yeah I'd say I never been more all right in my entire fucking life!"

Chakotay didn't look convinced.

"But I hurt you."

"But you didn't mean to and believe me I know the difference. Look
it's nothing a dermal regenerator won't fix up. I'll be OK so don't
beat yourself up over it all right? Come on let's get ready for our
shift."

Tom stepped out of the stall and grabbed a couple of towels handing
one to a somber commander. Guessing his little speech hadn't convinced
his lover that even in his brutality no one had ever touched him with
such reverence or care, he pulled the big guy into his arms.

"Look baby, that was pretty intense for both of us but never for one
moment was I afraid that you meant to harm me. It was really quite
wonderful."

"Tom we need to talk. There are some things I need to say before we go
any further in this relationship."

Fear gripped the lieutenant's heart. He's going tell me that this is
too much for him. That my behavior was unacceptable. I had promised
him no entanglements, no fuss and now he was backing away. He had to
fix this. He wasn't quite sure why yet this was so important, he only
knew that it was.

"Look Chak, you don't have to say anything. We just had some great sex
and maybe it got a little out of hand but sometimes shit like that
happens. Don't give it second thought. I like fucking you and you like
fucking me. Let's just enjoy it and leave it that OK?"

He left the bathroom, threw on his uniform and headed for Sickbay. As
he flew out the doors of their quarters he repressed the urge to cry.

---

"Three, sometimes four. I guess it just depends on who it is."

The Doc made a notation on his PADD.

"And when it's Commander Chakotay?"

Tom was reaching his limit. The Doc had healed his injury without
comment, it hadn't been too bad just a bit of tearing, unfortunately
now he wouldn't shut up. He had answered his questions as clinically
as the EMH had asked them but now he was asking about Chakotay and
that's where he drew the line.

"No comment."

The Doc looked up from his PADD, his holographic features exhibiting
annoyance.

"Really Mr Paris, how am I supposed to get a clear picture of your
sexual habits if I can't ask about your current partner."

"Listen Doc, if you want to know my favorite position I'll tell you.
If you want to know how many times a night I can get it up I'll tell
you. But if you want to know about Chakotay you're gonna have to ask
Chakotay. Get it?"

He knew the EMH had no qualms about asking him about his sex life,
hell he'd even had the audacity to blackmail him into it, but Tom was
certain that he'd never approach the first officer. Chakotay
unconsciously demanded a certain respect from people whether they were
humanoid or holographic.

"Very well Lieutenant, I "get it". However it is clear to me that your
relationship with the commander is markedly different from your
previous experiences. Would you at least concede that?"

Well that was it in a nutshell. It was frightening the way Chakotay
was able to drive him from ecstasy to the depths of despair in a
matter of minutes and make him forget that despair just as quickly.
And despite all that he had never felt so safe in his whole life. Yeah
he'd say it was different.

"Lieutenant?"

"What? Oh yeah Doc I'll give you that. Look my bridge shift is
starting soon, can we continue this later?"

The Doc moved to the medical console.

"I'll look forward to it Mr Paris." His fingers manipulated the panel.
"The coast is clear."

Tom pushed away from the bio-bed he'd been leaning against and flipped
a farewell to the doctor.

"Talk to ya later Doc."

---

Chakotay played with the white knight on the chessboard as he sipped
his morning tea. He still had a few minutes before he had to leave the
cabin for the bridge.

Since Tom had fled their quarters like a frightened rabbit he had time
to put things in perspective. He had messed up. While his lover had
been basking in the afterglow of their joining, Chakotay had
immediately gone into his first officer mode. He should have been
feeling the moment with him not checking his injuries. That could have
waited.

The commander smiled to himself. Being with Tom was certainly a
learning experience and he found it very hard to keep his keep his
self imposed control when around the man. He squeezed the chess piece
in his hand ignoring the small hurt as it pressed into his palm.

But dammit, he wanted to lose control every now and again! Just for a
few minutes! He wanted to just let go with someone he could trust and
he wanted that someone to let go with him at the same time. He wanted
to be all wild and wonderful, and feel free and fulfilled. He wanted
Thomas Eugene Paris and one stupid mistake like this morning wasn't
going to stop him. Nothing was, not even Tom himself was going to
stand in the way of the commander getting what he wanted.

With care Chakotay placed the white knight on the chessboard and with
a resolute stride left the cabin for the bridge.

This evening he would begin his pursuit of the skittish lieutenant in
earnest and the "first officer" would not be invited.

---

"Attendance isn't mandatory but I would consider it a personal favor
if you all made an appearance." She swore she heard a few whimpers.
"Look the Mikans will only be with us a few more days and Nelix has
really outdone himself preparing for this little shindig in the
messhall, it won't be so bad. You may even enjoy yourselves."

Kathryn looked around the conference table at her senior staff faintly
amused. She had been sure her request had put a crinkle in few
romantic ventures tonight, her Operations officer and Chief Engineer's
plans being the most obvious ones.

Now that B'Elanna had stopped kicking out poor Harry every night, they
seemed to go everywhere together. The messhall, Sandrine's and
sometimes they could be found in the upper levels of engineering where
they were definitely not working on engine efficiency. The captain had
found that out the hard way while doing one of her impromptu
inspections last night.

She had been following the sound of voices butchering one of her
favorite Klingon operas, Kahless' Return, when she stumbled upon the
two officers. Doing things to the matter-antimatter integrator she
would was sure the unit was never meant to do, were Harry and B'Elanna
screaming at the top of their lungs and engaged in what she supposed
was sexual intercourse. If it wasn't for the fact that they were naked
and all Harry's parts were in B'Elanna's parts, she would have sworn
they were in a deathmatch. She had backed away silently, as if that
mattered, they wouldn't have noticed a "red alert" and continued her
inspection. A question brought her out her revelry.

"So exactly how long is an "appearance"?"

Only Tom Paris would have the balls enough to ask her that. The
captain, out of the corner of her eye, caught Chakotay's reaction to
the lieutenant's brass. He was suppressing a smile. Two weeks ago he
would have come down hard on the pilot's ass for such an impertinent
remark but now he was sitting here with an almost silly grin on his
face. Inwardly Kathryn sighed. Her big rough first officer was in
love, softening all those hard edges she was accustomed to. Well it
was about time. Maybe now the man wouldn't give her so many damn
arguments everytime she made a command decision. Her high spirits were
reflected in her answer. She couldn't help herself.

"Forgive me Mr Paris but is there somewhere else or more specifically
somebody else you'd rather be with?"

Tom looked every where else in the room except at the commander. Oh
this was just too fun. The lieutenant began to fidget in his chair.

"Me? Uh no Captain." He recovered. "I was just trying to determine
whether or not I should inform the Doc that we should skip
our. . . our. . . triage review tonight."

"Well since the Doctor will be attending the party, it would be safe
to say that your meeting will postponed." She directed herself to the
rest of the room. "If there's nothing else, dismissed."

Kathryn remained seated as she watched her crew file out of the room
and reviewed their current situation. She was reminded of the
transmissions called "soap operas" that Kes and Nelix had picked up on
their temporal trip back to the 20th century a few years back. They
were fictional stories full of intrigue and angst and they were
totally enthralling to watch. Sometimes even now she found herself
replaying some of those old logs.

Tonight's party would be just like one of those old recordings brought
to life. She couldn't wait.

Getting up and straightening her uniform she silently thanked the
fates for Mikans.

---

Tom entered the messhall, scanned the room for Chakotay and then again
for Sh'ek. A negative for both.

Damn he had wanted to make an entrance for the commander. He had worn
his tightest jeans and his blue silk "come fuck me" shirt especially
for the big guy. He had planned on tempting the commander from a far
and then taking him back to their quarters and fucking his brains out.
It was all part of his strategy to convince him that this morning's
incident didn't meaning anything and everything was all business as
usual. It was great plan. All he needed now was the "fuckee". He made
his way to the refreshments table.

---

Chakotay didn't even stop at his quarters to change as he made his way
to the messhall from his office. He'd been delayed by a Mikan called
Sh'ek asking questions about navigation and piloting who had taken up
his buffing up time.

He slowed his pace as the doors to Nelix's "den of iniquity" as Tom
liked to call it opened. Through all the Mikans, Fleeters and Maquis
the nexus of his life stood out like precious jewel in a pile of
rubble. He made a beeline for him.

A cluster of golden aliens surrounded Tom. He was in full "flyboy"
mode. His smile flashed and his banter was witty. Chakotay joined the
crowd of newly indicted "Tom Paris" fans. Those beautiful ocean blue
eyes met his as Tom grabbed his arm and pulled him to his side.

"And here he is, Voyager's bravest officer and my guardian angel,
Commander Chakotay."

Chakotay was confused. The lieutenant's hand briefly grabbed his ass
and his lips brushed his ear.

"I was just telling these ladies here all about your heroic exploits
and about how many times you've saved my sorry ass." Tom saw his
lover's puzzlement and let his lips brush his tattoo as he explained.
"They wanted to know if I ever got scared being on big ship like
this." Tom stepped back from him still keeping a modicum of body
contact with him by placing his hand at the base of his spine.

"Now if you'll excuse us ladies I'm going to make sure my hero gets
something eat." Tom winked to the bevy of gold. "Gotta keep his
strength up just in case. You never know."

Chakotay found himself being steered around Neelix's counter and
walked into the pantry at the back of the kitchen. Tom shoved his back
against a shelf filled with dried leola root. Hands traveled up and
down his sides finally settling on his ass bringing him forward into
the pilot's body. His lips were covered in a crushing kiss. As his
senses were reaching overload Tom broke the kiss but not the embrace.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"Working."

Tom watched the commander's lips as the words formed on them. They
were full and sensuous and needed kissing. He delved into them sucking
the lower one while he ran a hand over his lover's burgeoning
erection. He had been so afraid he wouldn't show and with each touch
he reassured himself that he was really here. He knew he was being
irrational, it was just a fucking party, but it somehow it had also
been a test. Chakotay hadn't avoided him when he entered the room. He
had come directly to him and for some reason that meant something.

"Whoa, baby. If you keep doing that I not going to be able to walk out
of here without carrying a case of leola root in front of me."

Tom backed off and gave the man a look of mock amusement. OK he wasn't
really funny but he had to give the guy points for trying.

"Well I guess we're just gonna have to do something about that then."

Tom fell to his knees and brought his hands up to the clasp of the
commander's trousers. In one swift movement he released Chakotay's
cock and steadied it with his hand as he tongued the slit. The
commander didn't fight him as he took the purple crest into his mouth
and began to bob his head.

"Oh spirits Tom."

When Chakotay's fingers delved into his hair steadying his head, Tom
took the opportunity to use a hand to undo his jeans and pump his own
raging erection. He was way too horny to let this be a spectator
sport. He fucked his hand as Chakotay fucked his mouth.

His breath was hitching and having Chakotay shoving his cock down his
throat was making Tom feeling lightheaded increasing his euphoria. As
he felt his lover's cum hit the back of his throat he came, stars
blinking in his peripheral vision.

Chakotay sank to his haunches catching Tom as he swayed preventing him
from hitting the floor. He listened for the pilot's breathing over the
noise of the crowd in the other room. When he felt the rise and fall
of his chest against his own he kissed his golden hair and whispered.

"I love you."

---

"No Captain, I'm almost positive."

She grabbed Neelix's arm trying to steer him away from the galley.
She'd also seen Tom take Chakotay behind the counter, but unlike the
ship's morale officer she knew it wasn't to satisfy his hunger. Well
it maybe it was that but it wasn't the same hunger that Nelix could do
anything about.

"Neelix I'm sure they can find what they need all by themselves.
Perhaps you should be checking on the punch, the bowl is almost empty
and I know I would mind another glass of that liquid ambrosia."

She ran into the Talaxian's back as he stopped at the entrance of the
pantry. Looking over his shoulder she saw her first officer arch his
back as he came into the mouth of her chief pilot. Oh hell. She tugged
at Neelix's arm. The man wouldn't move, he was transfixed by the scene
before him. She had to jab a finger in his side to get his attention.

"Neelix, lets go, OK?"

He finally roused and started backing up into her. She had to manually
turn him around and lead him back to the front counter. When they
reached it she grabbed a glass of abandoned punch and forced into his
hand before she spoke.

"OK repeat after me. 'I didn't see that.' " She took the Talaxian's
face in her fingers making him look her in the eye. "Neelix can you
hear me?"

Neelix's eyes focused and he quaffed the punch in his hand in one go.
After placing the glass down he stole the captain's eyes with his own.

"That. . . that was Tom and the commander."

Janeway patted his forearm.

"Yes Neelix, it was."

"But the commander was. . . he was. . . "

Kathryn finished his sentence in her own way.

"He was doing something that Tom wanted him to, OK?

"But Tom doesn't like him. I mean that's what he says when he comes in
here."

"It's not true, Neelix. Tom likes Chakotay very much."

The Talaxian's pondered her words a moment before becoming agitated
again. His fierce of loyalty to Tom coloured his response.

"Does the commander like Tom too?"

"Yes he cares for Tom deeply."

"He loves him?"

"Yes Nelix Chakotay is in love with Tom." She held her hand up
preempting Neelix's next question.

"And Tom is in love with Chakotay. The only difference is that
Chakotay knows how he feels and Tom doesn't." She clasped the
Talaxian's hand in hers. "We just have give them a little time OK? Let
them get used to each other before we let them know that we know."

Neelix returned her hold on his hands and grinned in understanding.

"You can count on me, Captain. I won't say a word."

"Thank you Mr Neelix. Now about that punch bowl?"

Bursting back into his role as host, Neelix began retrieving the
elements to make his famous Barkian punch.

---

Tom woke to his lover's steady breathing.

Over him were warm soft blankets and under him was a warm solid body.
He rubbed his face against the smooth chest beneath his cheek and
snuggled deeper into the blankets. Right now it would take a whole
task force of angry Klingons to budge him from his position. He'd
fight tooth and nail to stay in Chak arms. Yep, he was that far gone
and there was no going back.

He was totally, unequivocally, most definitely, not to mention
hopelessly in love with Chakotay and he had made a wonderful
discovery. It wasn't as scary as he thought it would be. He felt free
for the first time in his life. He knew that even if his feelings
weren't returned that he was more than he was before. His heart had
finally come of age.

That's when the memories hit him. Last night they had left the
messhall while he was still in a haze. He vaguely remembered the
captain making a path for them through the crowd of bodies and walking
them to the doors of their quarters. Christ, Neelix had been there
too. After that everything was a blank. Oh well he'd deal with the
awkwardness later.

Thanking the stars for their day off Tom nestled back into his love
and drifted off to sleep.

---

Chakotay had felt his lover awake momentarily before he fell back to
sleep again. He refrained from tightening his hold till he was sure
Tom had resumed his slumber.

Last night he had done what he vowed. He had lost control. While it
had been as wonderful as he had hoped it would be, it had also been
embarrassing. If not for Kathryn's kind words and understanding last
night, he would probably be working himself into a major brooding
session right now. Her words rang in his head.

After putting Tom to bed, they had sat in the living area and sipped
tea.

"It's OK Chakotay."

"No it's not and I can't pretend that it is."

The captain put her teacup down and moved closer to her first officer
on the lounge.

"It's not a matter of pretending. You were overwhelmed, that's all.
It's not a crime Commander, it happens."

Chakotay tipped his head into his hand and covered his eyes.

"Yes but did it have to happen in a public place and in front of
Neelix of all people!"

Kathryn could feel the man's anguish. Chakotay was a private person
and being caught with his pants down, literally, so openly like that
made him feel violated. She tried to lighten his mood before his moral
outrage overtook him completely.

"Tell me about it! That bouffant hairdo of his almost blocked my view
of the grand finale."

An ebony eye peeked at her between two fingers. Ah she had tweaked his
curiosity.

"The grand finale?"

"Yes you know the climax of the performance, no pun intended. If it
wouldn't have blown Neelix's grandiose image of me, I would have
cheered and yelled encore!"

The hand came down and the corners of his mouth went up momentarily
before resetting themselves in an even line.

"I know what you're trying to do Kathryn and it won't work. I'm not
going to laugh about this."

"Laugh? Believe me when I say Chakotay, if anything was tickled it was
most definitely not my funny bone."

"Kathryn!"

The hand had now moved to his mouth trying to hide his amusement. His
embarrassment was evaporating and she had to admit so was her own.
Seeing the men so flagrantly hadn't offended her sensibilities, no she
was a big girl and had been around. No it was because lately she'd
been playing out this very scene in her daydreams. It was a little
startling to see her fantasy come to life, not to mention incredibly
erotic. Talking like this was liberating and it lifted the guilt she'd
been feeling at picturing in her mind two of her senior bridge
officers bonking each other.

"Oh please Commander. We're both adults. You have to admit the picture
of Tom Paris on his knees like that was incredibly hot."

The commander looked her square in the eye, his stoic Indian mask
firmly in place.

"Yes especially from my viewpoint."

The captain choked on a mouthful of tea. The commander reached over
and slapped her back a few times.

"You OK?"

She gave him a disgruntled looked and noticed the silly grin was back.
Well her work here was done. She made to leave.

"We're not done yet."

"Excuse me?"

"I said we're not done yet. We've discussed my situation and now I
think it's time to discuss yours. In fact I'd say it's long overdue."

"I don't have a situation."

She settled back on the lounge. She knew what he was talking about,
she just didn't think he had noticed. Maybe he hadn't. She waited for
him to elaborate.

"You do and it's six feet tall and blonde." He raised his eyebrows,
crinkling his tattoo. "And I'm not talking about Tom."

Oh yeah he had noticed. He was a smart guy, her first officer, and a
bit tricky. He knew that after he had opened up to her, her sense fair
play would obligate her into doing the same.

"She doesn't know Chakotay and I'm not about to tell her. She trusts
me and I don't want to lose that trust by overstepping the bounds of
our relationship. She sees me as her mentor, her teacher and nothing
more."

Kathryn hugged her arms to her body and shut her eyes. It hurt to
actually say the words aloud. She felt Chakotay move closer to her on
the lounge and place his arm over her shoulders.

"You can't know that for sure and there are ways of finding out if she
returns your feelings without betraying her trust. You could spend
more time with her doing something totally recreational. Take her to
see Leonardo or maybe involve her in one of your gothic holo novels.
Then just wait and see. If nothing develops you're no worse off than
you are now, right?"

He was right. She'd let Seven set the pace and if nothing came of it
she'd deal with it. It might be hard and she might get hurt but at
least she'd know one way or another and be able to move on. Feeling a
little better she offered the commander a wry smile.

"How do you know so much, smart guy?"

"Experience. I've had my own six foot blonde to deal with lately,
remember?"

Kathryn threw her arms up with her palms out and bowed her head.

"Enough said."

---

"So Obiwan knew all along?"

"Yeah."

"So why didn't he tell Luke at the beginning?"

Tom unfurled himself from Chakotay's side and rolled on top him
twisting the bedcovers and blocking the commander's view of the vid
screen.

"It's called a "surprise ending" Chak." Not seeing any comprehension
in the big guy's handsome face, he continued. "It's suppose to create
suspense and make you want to see the next movie."

"There's a next movie?"

"Yeah, in fact there's ten more. In the fourth one Obiwan is young and
is all hot and hunky looking."

Chakotay wrapped his legs around Tom's and shifted his butt until he
felt another erection rub his own.

"You like hot and hunky?" He began nibbling at the white flesh of his
lover's throat. "What else do you like?"

He liked this, lying in bed naked, watching vids, eating junk food and
fucking. All the elements of Tom's idea of a perfect day off were all
here right in this room.

"I like hard and horny first officers." He placed his mouth close to
Chakotay's ear and whispered. "And I especially like the fifth movie
in the Star Wars series."

Before Tom could say "Obiwan Kenobi" he found himself flipped over
with his arms braced above his head and his body pinned by Chakotay's.

"I think we've watched enough science fiction for the day. Time for a
little real life."

He released one his lover's hands to grab the lube from the bedside
table. As he went to flip the cap, long slender fingers plucked the
tube from his grasp.

"Chak let me, OK?"

The seriousness of Tom's voice told the commander that he wasn't just
talking about spreading the oil on him.

"Chak I want you, understand?"

He understood. Now how did he make Tom understand that this was
something he'd never done? How did tell him that no man had ever
penetrated him before. Tom already knew.

"Please baby, I won't hurt you, OK?" The knuckles of the lieutenant's
free hand feathered softly across his cheek. "And if you don't like it
we can stop. I promise."

He already knew he was going to do this. He couldn't deny this
beautiful creature anything but he was still scared. This wouldn't be
losing control this was giving it over to someone else. He nodded his
head and released Tom's other hand.

Tom pulled him down to him, allowing him to remain on top for the
moment being the dominant one. As gentle hands smoothed along his
sides and undemanding lips took his mouth he really understood. Tom
meant to make love to him not just fuck him. His anxiety receded to a
more comfortable level.

His lover gradually rolled them on their sides as he continued
quieting his fears with easy caresses and soothing phrases. Gradually
Tom's movements became more fervent and hurried. The slow build up was
taking its toll, both their penises were leaking and aching for
friction.

"Oh baby, I need to be inside you now."

Chakotay retrieved the lube and pressed into Tom's hand as lifted his
body to rest on his knees and elbows. Heard the cap pop and soon after
warm liquid between the cheeks of his ass. His lover spooned behind
him covering his back with his chest and stroked his cock with an
oiled hand. He felt warm breathing at the nape of his neck.

"It's OK love, just relax." He felt a finger rim his anus. "Remember
if you want to stop just say so." A finger entered him. He
concentrated on relaxing his muscles. "That's right love, just go with
it."

Tom gently inserted another moving slowly stretching his entrance.
There was some pain and then incredible pleasure as his lover brushed
his prostate. Spirits is this what Tom felt when he was inside him? He
barely noticed that his lover was still fondling his erection.
Suddenly the fingers were gone and he felt bereft.

"Please Tom don't stop."

"I won't love, I won't."

The brief flare of pain was replaced quickly by sense of being filled
as his lover entered him slowly. When he felt the tickle of hair
against his skin he almost came in the knowledge that Tom now totally
possessed him. Then real ecstasy began as he started moving in and out
of him.

"Oh gods, Chakotay!"

Tom was close to coming. Wanting Chakotay to come off with him, he
worked his love's erection in time with thrusts. It wasn't long before
he felt a warm stickiness cover his palm.

"Tom!"

"Oh fuck, oh fuck, ohhhh. . . "

He let go of Chakotay's cock moving both his hands to his hips
crashing into his lover a few final times before he released his seed
deep inside him.

They fell to their sides both men gasping and glistening with sweat.

Tom felt Chakotay breath even out and fall into the rhythm of sleep.
Trying not to wake him he pulled the covers up from the end of the bed
and threw an arm over his lover's abdomen spooning against him.

Now he understood. Chak have given him a gift. No matter what happened
to them after the Mikans left, Tom would always have the knowledge
that he was the first. He kissed the nape of his lover's neck.

"I love you Chakotay."

As he felt an arm tighten over his, he drifted into contented slumber.

---

"Tom we need to talk."

The lieutenant swiveled in his chair putting his back to the Tactical
Station on the Flyer. The man sitting across from him at Ops looked
serious. Oh oh, this was going to be one of those talks.

"Sure, what's up."

"Have you ever been in love?"

Whoops wrong talk. He thought the man wanted to discuss his own
feelings, not Tom's. He tried to be cool about what had recently
become for him a very hot topic. Tom was suddenly grateful they were
only sitting in the docking bay running diagnostics and not zipping
around a planetary system. After that question he would have probably
shot the Flyer into a moon or burned her up in the atmosphere of the
nearest planet.

"Uh, yeah sure."

The dark haired head shook back and forth as his voice became
agitated.

"No, no. I mean really in love." He leaned forward looking for
empathy. "You feel like you're walking along a really steep cliff and
it's kinda of scary and exciting at the same time."

Yeah he knew he knew what that was like except he'd taken it one step
further and stepped off the edge.

"Yes, Harry I do."

"Really?"

Tom leaned over and put his hand the ensign's knee trying to convince
him of sincerity and calm him too. Hell the guy was really a mess. His
voice was soft and soothing.

"Yeah really Harry."

"Do you still feel that way?"

"Yes."

Harry erupted from the Ops chair and walked to the back of the Flyer.
Something was wrong here. His friend shouldn't be this upset about
being in love with B'Elanna because Tom was pretty sure she felt the
same way. She'd even gone as far to stop calling him Starfeet so it
must be love.

"Har what is it?"

The ensign turned towards him standing ramrod straight and his eyes
directed at the front viewport.

"I put in a request to the captain for a cabin re-assignment."

"Yeah so?"

"To B'Elanna's cabin, Tom. I'm sorry."

Sorry? Why the hell would Harry tell him sorry, he was the one that
was going to have to live that hellcat? Then it hit him. He had told
Harry he was in love and Harry thought. . . oh hell.

"It's OK Har, really it's fine."

Hovering over him, his friend looked down at him cynically.

"But you said you were in love with her."

"I'm not and I don't think I ever really was." Shit he was having a
hard time getting the ensign to believe anything he said lately.

"Then who are you in love with?"

Well he should have known that would be the next question. Oh what the
fuck he might as well answer it. It would feel kinda good to say it
out loud to somebody even it was Harry. He hadn't quite gathered
enough courage to say it directly to the right somebody yet; maybe
this would make it easier.

"Sit down Harry."

A curious Ensign Kim now sat across from him instead of a troubled
one. Harry waited patiently on the edge of his seat waiting for him to
speak.

"Chakotay."

Harry sat back and slapped his hands on his thighs. This wasn't a
curious Harry, a troubled Harry or even a slightly amused one. This
was a fully pissed off Ensign staring him down.

"Fine Paris go ahead make fun of me, make fun of my feelings!" He
stood up and began swinging his arms in the air. "But don't ever
expect me to come to you with them again! I was trying to be your
friend, but I can see you don't even fucking understand what the word
means!"

Whoa, Harry swore! He must be really be in love to be this ticked off.
Tom rose and positioned himself nose to nose with the ensign and
captured his flailing arms.

"Harry stop it and just listen!" His next words were a plea. "Please,
I need to tell someone and you're my best friend."

Harry pulled out of Tom's grasp and wrapped his arms around himself.
He sat back down and motioned the ensign to do the same and looking at
him warily, he did.

"I'm not making fun of you. I think it's really great about you and
B'Elanna. It doesn't bother me at all, honestly it doesn't." He took a
deep breath. "Harry I am in love with Chakotay and I hope he's in love
with me."

And now we had an astonished Ensign Kim. Well it was certainly better
than the last version.

"For real?"

"Yeah Har, for real. I'm totally head over heels for the guy. I know
you're surprised, it kinda surprised me too."

"But he's a guy Tom."

"Ah yeah Harry I noticed."

Although he had most likely had never indulged himself, Tom knew Harry
wasn't homophobic. It was just that for him falling in love
represented marriage and a family. His traditional upbringing was
preventing him from wrapping his brain around that happening in a same
sex relationship. Well in a terran one anyway.

"But you like women."

"Yeah but I didn't fall in love with one."

"It's serious?"

"That my friend would be an understatement."

The ensign stopped, digested the information he had and then asked for
more.

"So if he proposed, you'd say yes?"

"In a heartbeat."

"What about kids?"

Kids? Did Chakotay want children? From the wonderful stories the
commander had told Tom about his family on Dorvan V, he knew that the
big guy would make a great Dad. And if that was the rule of thumb, Tom
knew he'd make a terrible one.

"I don't know."

"I am certain the Doctor would be able to facilitate a gestation
between yourself and the commander."

Hearing the third voice enter their conversation provoked both men
into a standing position. They had forgotten about the other member of
their team who was "supposed" to be working on the medical station in
the hold.

"Hell Seven give a guy a little warning before you sneak up him like
that!"

"I was not sneaking Mr Paris I was investigating."

"Investigating what?"

"I heard a commotion and thought I should ascertain its origin."

"Then why didn't you say something sooner?" Tom tilted his head to the
side slightly mimicking Seven. "Once you had 'ascertained its origin'
of course?"

Not noticing the lieutenant attempt to mock her, she thought carefully
about her answer. She had meant to make her presence known when she
entered the cockpit but the topic of the disturbance interested her.
She was at the moment experiencing her own romantic dilemma and had
hoped to gain to some insight into the problem by listening to their
interaction. She had spoken to the Doctor but his data on the subject
was limited. Perhaps Lieutenant Paris would have more.

"I did not having anything relevant to say."

"Oh, but you do now?"

"No, but I do have some questions Mr Paris."

Oh shit. Where had he heard that one before?

"Questions about sex?" Out of the corner of his eye Tom saw Harry
slink away and exit the Flyer.

"No Lieutenant, about love."

"You're in love?"

"Yes and I believe I could benefit from your wisdom as you are
involved in a similar situation."

Him wise in the ways of love? If Seven didn't look so sincere he would
have fallen down laughing. Remembering Harry's not so kind response to
his own declaration he sobered. If he could help her he would.

"OK, who is it and what can I do to help?"

He saw her relax marginally which for her was a lot. This was Seven
after all.

"First I would like to preface with saying that my realization began
when my cortical implant began malfunctioning and I thought my demise
was imminent. My view of this person changed radically."

"So in layman's terms, when you thought you were going to die you
realized how much this person meant to you, right?" Tom sat back down
at Tactical. Seven followed his lead and sat at Ops. "And now knowing
how precious life is you want to share it with them."

"That is correct however she is not aware of my intentions and I am
uncertain on how to make them known."

She? If it was who he thought it was, then Seven was right they did
have a lot in common.

"OK Seven give it up. Who is it?"

"Captain Janeway."

Bingo! If Chakotay was the alpha male aboard ship then Janeway was the
alpha female. Christ he could already see him and Seven sitting on
barstools together drinking in Sandrine's bitching about how all Chak
and Kathryn ever talked about was work. If the future was what he
hoped, she was going to be his future sounding board so he'd better do
his best now if he wanted someone other than the Doc to complain to
when Chak spent too many nights in his office.

"You're sure about this?"

"Yes. While she does not fit the specifications I had initially set
for a mate, I have since discovered those specifications are
irrelevant. There is no one else one Voyager that I would care to
experience sex, love and children with."

"And you want all those things?"

"Yes as you do with Commander Chakotay."

Wow she got all that from a two minute conversation with Harry? He
still wasn't sure about the kids part but the rest of it was pretty
dead on.

"And you haven't told her yet."

"No as you haven't told the Commander yet."

Oh she was quick and she was expecting an answer to her unspoken
challenge. He almost wished he were speaking to Harry again.

"I do plan on telling him it's just not as easy as all that. What if
he doesn't feel the same way?"

Seven sat up in her chair and looking as matter of factly as possible
answered.

"You tell him resistance is futile."

This time he did laugh. She was right. He wanted Chakotay to be his
lifemate and he didn't see it the same way, well too fucking bad. He
would in time, Tom would make damn sure of that. Resistance was
futile, that was the only way to deal with the alpha mentality. You
just don't give them any other choice. He had an idea.

"I will if you will."

She wasn't following his train of thought so explained in terms she
would understand.

"Look, we know what we know what our objective is right?" She nodded.
OK he had her this far. "Well we outline our plans to them, detailing
the benefits and the advantages and if there are any objections we
counteract them with plausible alternatives. It's all a matter of
preparation."

"You are suggesting we should take an offensive stance."

"Yeah just hunt them down and go in for the kill."

Tom could see the complicated working of the ex-Borg's mind reflected
in her body language as she considered his proposal. She tilted her
head sideways and lowered her eyes before she stood with her arms
behind her back and her chin forward.

"I believe Mr Paris that is a viable course of action and I will
implement it as soon as the opportunity arises."

Tom preferring not to get a bird's eye view of the fork of that silver
jumpsuit raised himself to her level.

"That's great Seven and now that were fellow conspirators do you think
you could manage to call me Tom?"

She looked as him as if to think why that would matter and nodded her
head.

"If you wish." She turned to leave the Flyer, then stopped.

"You will report back to me the results of your mission as soon as you
have them I trust?"

"Sure and you too, right?"

She nodded with a precision that belied her past and made her way to
the Flyer's hatch. She hesitated at the opening.

Before he could ask if there was something else a soft voice spoke.

"Thank you, Tom."

---

The first thing he noticed was that his chest and arms were chilled.
The second as his mind awoke a few seconds after his body, was that
his legs were not.

Chakotay pressed his chin to his chest and saw why. Covering his lower
body was his own beautiful blonde-eyed personal heating blanket. It
had slipped down sometime during the night and was now turned "on"
high.

"Good morning love, it's about time you woke up."

Chakotay ran his fingers through the mussed up hair and tried to sound
contrite.

"Forgive me Poocuh but someone kept me up past my usual bedtime last
night."

Tom translated his forgiveness with kisses to Chakotay's hips and
abdomen, circling his ever growing need. It wasn't until he moaned in
torment, was he rewarded with that talented mouth on his cock. A warm
silkiness enveloped him as a tongue whirled around his head paying
special attention to the slit. Gentle suction brought him deeper into
that lush haven before it was released and only lips touched the tip.
He lifted his hips from the mattress begging to be taken in again. He
didn't have to wait long before the gentle torture resumed.

"Oh spirits Tom, oh yes, yesssss."

He surrendered his essence into that loving passage. Tom took it all
and rested his head on Chakotay's stomach when he finished. His
fingers brushed his lover's forehead and raked the golden hair
savoring its downy texture.

"Oh baby do you know what you do to me?"

"Yeah I think I have some idea."

An impish smile and flashing eyes took his breath away. He still
couldn't believe that after years of wanting this beauty that he was
actually here in his bed. He couldn't lose this.

Tonight was their last night of their agreement. Tomorrow the Mikans
would be gone and Tom would go back to his own quarters unless he came
up with a new proposal. He smiled, "proposal" being the operative
word.

"Hey penny for your thoughts."

"What's a penny?"

Tom started to explain before he saw the big ass grin spread across
Chakotay's face.

"OK funny man, in other word's what's up? You got that mystic warrior
look on your face."

"I'll explain later Poocuh, after the farewell party, OK. Right now
let's see to that pole making a tent in the covers."

"Oh I thought you'd never ask. Turn over."

Without hesitating Chakotay reached for the lube on the bedside table
and handed it to Tom.

"Oooh I like it when they're well trained."

The commander slapped the lieutenant's butt eliciting a yelp before
turning over and presenting himself to him. He trembled with
anticipation.

Tom positioned himself between Chak knees and spread the sandalwood
scented oil over both of them. After preparing the puckered opening
for entrance Tom guided his cock into him careful to wait for his
lover's acceptance before delving in further. He reached around to the
commander's erection, confirming the man's arousal before rhythmically
rocking his hips and relishing the tight passageway that only he had
traversed.

The growling beneath him sparked his pelvis to pump frenetically and
he screamed out. When the growling became a roar Tom let go and came
crying out Chakotay's name out again and again until his voice was
hoarse.

He withdrew and allowed Chakotay to roll over on his back before
collapsing on his chest. His voice rasped,

"Oh love what you do to me."

Big arms enveloped him and he felt the pressure of a kiss on the top
his head.

"I know."

---

"Okay now send it."

Seven's finger hesitated before touching her console in the cargo bay.

"You are aware that with the time delay you added, the commander will
not receive this request until tomorrow morning."

Tom rolled his eyes. This woman could come up with theories on how to
fold space in her spare time but concept of romance was beyond her.

"I know that. I just though Chakotay would find it kinda touching to
get the formal request in the morning after we have our big talk
tonight. It has the double bonus of amusing him and making him think
of me."

Seven considered his words seriously just like she did everything
else. Hell he was going have find way to loosen her up a bit if they
were going to be "Fleet" spouses together. He didn't want to use up
all their bitching time in explanations.

"And that would be a good thing?"

"Yeah Seven a very good thing. Now send the message."

She finally made contact with the console and completed the
transmission.

"So you plan on making your declaration tonight. May I ask what method
you intend on using?"

"Method no method, I don't need no stinking method." As usual didn't
she catch the joke. "What I mean to say is, Chak has already said he
wanted to talk. So I just have to wait for him to say it first and
then say it back. Simple."

"So you have eliminated the risk of rejection." She lifted her chin
defiantly. " What if the commander intentions are similar to your own?
Will you take the initiative then?"

"Hey he called the meeting, the ball's in his court. He'll say it
first."

"And if he does not?"

"He will."

"You are certain?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"You do not sound very confident."

"I am! Chakotay will say 'I love you' first!"

"Very well Tom, I will take your word for it."

She stood back and tipped her head to him, a faint smile playing
around her lips. Hell she'd provoked him on purpose. Maybe she was
"looser" than he thought. He went on the offensive.

"Enough about me, what about you. When are you going to tell the
captain?"

"Tonight."

"What you're just going to come right out and say it? Don't you think
you should soften her up a bit first?"

"No. It has been my experience that Kathryn values directness and
honesty. I intend to play to those sensibilities."

"Oh so you're gonna walk right up to her and say I want to fuck you,
marry you and have your babies? Believe me when I say Seven she ain't
gonna see that one coming." Tom took the ex-Borg by the shoulders.
"You gotta be a little more subtle than that or she'll have you in
Sickbay so fast your cortical implant will spin."

"But that is what you intend to say to the commander tonight is it
not? I fail see why that approach would not be successful for me as
well. We do have the same objectives do we not?"

Tom raised his eyes and palms heavenward and wondered when in hell did
he become ship's councilor. He stamped down his frustration and did
his best imitation of the "first officer".

"Same objectives yeah, but different situations. I'm already "fucking"
the commander so he knows I'm interested, OK?" He waited for her to
nod. "So telling him I may want to extend the bounds of our
relationship isn't going to be a shock to him. You gotta follow the
natural progression of courtship; otherwise you just might blow what
chance you have. Get it?"

"So you feel Kathryn and I should become intimate before I broach the
subject of her becoming my lifemate?"

"Yeah."

Tom watched Seven pace from the console to her regeneration chamber.
She paused a moment there before returning to stand in front of him.
Hey he was better than he thought at this counciling thing if he could
get someone as rigid as the ex-Borg to rethink her actions. He tried
to look humble as he prepared himself for her acknowledgment of his
incredible insights. She tilted her head and looked down her nose at
him.

"Unacceptable."

"What?"

"I will proceed with my original plan and convey my intentions to the
captain tonight."

"Did you even listen to one word I said?"

"Yes Tom I "listened" to them all, however I do not believe that
delaying the enviable would benefit either myself or Kathryn."

He threw his hands up in the air and made to leave.

"Fine just don't come crying to me when she has you locked up in
Sickbay."

An air of defiance engulfed Seven as she faced him squarely blocking
his exit from the cargo bay.

"Likely as you seem to think, I anticipate that your now revised
approach to both of our predicaments will fail. As you had previously
stated a proactive response is called for and when we compare our
reports tomorrow you find that I am correct in this matter."

The gauntlet had been thrown. It was the old tale of the hare and the
tortoise Tom thought. Well even though he and Chakotay may have been
fucking like rabbits lately, he knew the course of the slow and steady
would win the race. He accepted her challenge.

"All right I'll see you in the messhall about 13 hundred hours
tomorrow and we'll compare notes." Time to make it interesting. "And
let's say the unsuccessful party accedes to the other in a public
display of humility. OK?"

"Very well, I will accept your apology in the messhall."

The lieutenant shook his head. After she had the audacity to doubt the
"Tom Paris" method of seduction, there was no way in hell was he going
to let her off that easily.

"No Seven not in the messhall. No this apology is going to be the
number one topic on the next episode of "Breakfast with Neelix".
Comprende?"

"I understand."

She moved aside and allowed him to resume his departure. As the doors
of the cargo bay swished opened, she issued one final remark.

"Mr Paris I suggest you wear your blue shirt for the broadcast as it
translates well bringing out the achromatic colour of your irises."

Whatever, Tom thought as he continued his departure. If the captain
could defeat the Borg so could he. His step faltered however when he
remembered whose side of the conflict the captain would be on this
time. Fuck.

*******

"You are the hero?"

Chakotay stopped halfway through a maintenance report and gave the
pale green Mikan his full attention.

"Excuse me?"

The diminutive alien progressed further into the commander's office
allowing the doors to close.

"Hero, you are Pretty Tom's hero?"

Hero? It was an archaic word that one didn't hear too often but had
seemed to him that he had heard it recently. When he pieced the word
together with "pretty Tom" he remembered, the party in the messhall.
Not sure of the Mikan's interpretation of the word he answered
cautiously.

"Yes I've been called that. Is there something I can help you with?"
As the words left his mouth, he recalled that this was also the same
creature that had delayed him from that same party.

"Pretty Tom is yours?"

His brows furrowed. Did the Mikans practice slavery? They were an
extremely self-indulgent race and it was not beyond the realm of
possibility that their culture may be based on a subservience of the
most abhorrent nature. With his distaste a palpable, the commander
replied making sure the alien understood that on Voyager that was not
socially acceptable.

"Tom belongs to no one. Not to me or anyone else aboard ship."

The little alien, Sh'ek the commander thought his name was, backed
off, his palms raised in deference as he retraced his steps back out
to the corridor.

"Thankfulness to you Hero."

Chakotay dismissed the incident from his mind as he tried to find his
place again in the last report he'd have to approve before leaving for
the farewell party in the messhall.

---

"And you really liked it?"

Shit he was really getting tired of trying to convince people that
yeah he liked Chakotay and that yeah the man totally rocked his world.
He leaned forward looking across the counter directly in the colourful
Talaxian's yellow rimmed eyes trying to make his point.

"Yeah I liked that and I like a lot of other things the commander does
to me."

Neelix staggered back and gripped the edge of the table as if Tom had
actually reached out a hand and pushed him. Tom caught himself
remembering that this was Neelix not Seven or Harry. A guy that put
the crew of Voyager's well being, including his irascible self, before
his own. He moved around to stand beside Neelix sharing his view of
the celebration and butting himself into the shoulder of the
softhearted Talaxian.

"Sorry Neelix, sometimes I can be a real asshole."

Trying to stop the man's reflex action to assume the fault, Tom
gripped his forearm and continued.

"It's just that this is all kinda of new for me."

Neelix relaxed into his shoulder and did the thing he was best at. He
understood.

"It's scary isn't it."

"Yeah, sometimes I lay awake at night wondering when Chak is going to
finally realized what a screw up I am. "

"You know Tom you're one of the finest men I know and I think the
commander sees that too."

He needed that. The kind reassurance warmed him in spots that he had
long since considered dead cold. Neelix had a way that made you feel
like you meant something, that you were important. Tom threw his arm
around him and gave him a quick but heartfelt hug before he resumed
the devil-may-care demeanor that Neelix was more familiar with.

"With those kind words you have ensured yourself a slightly neurotic
but willing assistant for the evening. Your wish is my command oh
master."

Neelix went with it and sent him to the back of the kitchen to find
spiced kasha root to perk up the punch.

---

Hands etched the line of the opening of his trousers. Soft questing
fingers brought to life his dormant member tightening the seam his
pants that dissected his balls and ran between the cheeks of his ass.
The sensation was incredible and he spread his legs to afford the
source of his pleasure better access.

Numb fingers placed the jar of kasha root back on the shelf as he
clasped the edge, let his head fall back and close his eyes relishing
the ministrations of his mystery guest.

Even though he had trouble matching his thrusts with the strokes of
the warm hand that held it him it didn't matter. He let himself be
overwhelmed by the emotions he had so long kept in check and voiced
his devotion as he came in short and halting sentences.

"Love you, gods love you. Love you, love. . . "

He heard a crashing and before he turned, he thought shit he given
Neelix another eyeful. His heart stopped when he heard the small voice
behind him.

"Pretty Tom is mine. Mine."

Tom fainted and in a blind rage Chakotay exited the messhall.

---

"If you do not hold still Mr Paris I will ask Mr Neelix to restrain
you."

Tom looked over from the bio-bed at the distressed Talaxian, the
movement of his head elevating the Doctor's ire. When he had "come to"
in the pantry of kitchen, Neelix's reassuring voice was the first
sound he heard. He had cleaned him up and placed a cloth over the gash
above his eye before bringing here to Sickbay. Sh'ek had been nowhere
to be seen. He was thankful for that small mercy.

"Neelix, are you all right?"

"Yes Tom I fine but I've got something to tell you and don't know
quite how to say it." He turned to the EMH who had completed
regenerating the broken skin on Tom's forehead. "Doc could you excuse
us for a minute."

Tom braced himself for his friend's reproach. He couldn't blame the
guy for being upset, especially after catching him in such a delicate
position the second time in less than a week. Hell he was upset with
himself. How could he been so stupid as to believe that it was
Chakotay with him in the pantry? Shit Tommy Boy, if thought half as
well with your brain as you did with your dick you'd be a fucking
genius.

He stopped his self-recriminations and began focusing on damage
control. He had to find a way to explain his idiotic behavior to
Neelix. It wasn't that he was afraid of him telling Chak what had
transpired, no it wasn't that. He was afraid of losing the man's
respect and friendship and that was important to him. He didn't have
that many true friends that he could afford to lose one.

"Look Neelix before you say anything just let me explain. I thought it
was Chakotay with me, OK? My back was to him and I couldn't see." The
Talaxian was shaking his colourful head. "Really I did. I love Chak
and I wouldn't do anything intentionally to hurt him." Tom bowed his
head. "I'm just sorry you were the one to witness my stupidity. Just
don't hate me too much OK?"

"Tom I don't hate you. I can see how much you regret what happened
but. . . "

"But what?" Here it comes. This is the part where he tells me he
doesn't want to associate with me anymore.

Neelix came forward and place a hand on his bicep. Oooh this was
really going to be bad.

"Tom I wasn't the only one there. There was one other person who saw
what happened."

Oh god no. That's why he hadn't shown up here see to why he wasn't at
the party. In a whisper he spoke the name.

"Chak?"

"I...I told him where you were when he came in. A few moments later I
heard the trolley in the kitchen overturn and saw the commander
leaving. I went to check it out and that's when I found you. The Mikan
was still there but left when he saw the blood."

Fuck, fuck, fuck and double fuck. He had to fix this. He had to talk
to Chakotay. He jumped off the bio-bed, sidestepped a disorientated
Talaxian and ran for his quarters.

---

Breathe, that's it just breathe.

Chakotay had used his meditation techniques to dissipate most of his
anger. Unfortunately he was now able to feel the soul crushing hurt
and heart wrenching betrayal. It wasn't a very fair trade off.

He sat with his head in his hands on the lounge trying to figure out
how he could have misread the situation so badly. Seeing Tom
pleasuring himself with another had been bad enough but hearing the
man scream out his love, had really sent him over the edge. How many
times he heard that seductive voice whisper in his ear, late at night,
those very same sentiments. Too many times and Chakotay had foolishly
believed him. He raised his head when heard the door chime ring. He
knew who it was.

The first thing he had done when he had arrived back in his cabin was
lock out Tom's bio-signature. He could spend the night with his new
friend if he needed a place to stay. The door rang again.

Just go away. Chakotay spied the black velvet box he had so lovingly
placed on the low table earlier that evening. He picked it up and ran
his fingers over the softness of the material. The chime rang again
and without thinking the commander brought his arm back and hurled the
box at the doors of his quarters.

"Damn you Tom Paris!"

With a thunk it hit the door coinciding with the cessation of the
chime.

---

"Are you ill?"

Recognizing the voice he kept his eyes shut as he answered.

"No."

"Then why are you in Sickbay?"

Knowing the tenacious woman wouldn't leave until she had a complete
explanation, he allowed his eyes to open and propped himself on his
elbows.

"I spent the night here OK? Happy now?"

"No. You still have not answered my question."

Man, he was definitely not in the mood for Twenty Questions this
morning. Seven stood at military rest awaiting a response. Sighing,
Tom sat up and swung his legs to hang over the side of the bio-bed.

"Chak and I had a fight and I had no where else to go. Feel better
now?"

"No. I fail to see why you would think your discomfiture would please
me."

Exasperated, he slipped off the bed wound his way around the present
bane of his existence and made his way to the replicator for a coffee.
She followed him.

"So you did not tell him."

Tom wheeled around to face her, sloshing hot coffee over his hand.
Swearing he put the cup back into the unit and tucked his mildly
scalded hand under his armpit. Oh this morning was just kept getting
better and better.

"Don't tell me you here to gloat?"

She lowered her eyes and lost some of that rigid Borg pose.

"No I came here to concede. I did not have the opportunity to speak
with Kathryn."

Oh he got it now. The downcast eyes and soften body language said it
all. He mused that maybe she was human after all.

"It's OK Seven. It's not easy telling someone how you feel." The Borg
in her was having a hard time admitting fear. He tried to make it
easier for her. "Hell it even took Jim Kirk twenty years to admit to
his first officer Spock how he felt and he was "the" bravest man in
the universe back then."

"You are certain?"

"Yeah, believe me I'm an expert on the subject."

She seemed to take some solace in his words as her focus shifted and
she took in his appearance.

"Perhaps I should leave now to give you time to make yourself
presentable for your meeting with the commander this morning."

"Seven I don't have a meeting with Chak this morning. He doesn't want
to see me and after what I did I don't blame him."

He gave her a look that said "I'm not going to tell you so don't ask"
and for once she didn't.

"He will. I am sure after the Kathryn brings your request to his
attention he will find it necessary to speak with you."

"The captain?"

Tom stopped his hand from reaching for his coffee. He had a feeling
he'd burn more than his hand when he heard her explanation.

"Yes it is Starfleet protocol that all requests for cabin
re-assignments be copied to the captain." She saw his concern. "Is
there a problem?"

"Ah Seven did you read the request before you sent it?"

"No, I did not see the need."

"Well let's say that it was a bit beyond what Starfleet would consider
a standard request."

"You embellished it?"

"Oh yeah."

Seeing her struggling with a reply, Tom took her off the hook.

"It's OK Seven. I'm getting kind of used my love life being a three
ring circus. Hell if I sold tickets, I'd make a fortune."

"You are sure."

"I'm sure, now go I've got a meeting to get ready for."

As she left, Tom dared to take a sip of his coffee.

---

"You wanted to see me Captain?"

She motioned he first officer to take the seat across from her at her
desk.

"Have you read this morning's communications yet?"

After night of staring at the ceiling of his cabin he only managed to
fall asleep shortly before his alarm went off. Hitting the snooze
button few times precluded his morning trip to his office.

"No. Is there something I should be aware of?"

Kathryn played with data PADD in her hand and took a hard look at the
commander. He looked like he'd just been released from a Cardassian
prison camp after months of internment. He was drawn and there were
dark circles under his bloodshot eyes.

"It can wait. Where did you sleep last night, if you did if fact
sleep, under a rock?" Regretting her sarcastic tone as she saw the man
visibly flinch she soften it. "Gods Chakotay tell me he didn't say
no."

"I didn't ask him."

"What? Why? Yesterday on the bridge you were so excited I almost had
to make Tuvok sit on you to keep you from jumping up and proposing
right there and then."

"I found him with someone else."

Impossible. Kathryn had seen the devotion in her chief pilot's eyes
everyday this last week whenever he looked back at them from the helm.
And combined with the information she was holding in her hand, it just
didn't make sense that Tom would seek sexual gratification with
someone else. There had to be more to this story.

"Well what did he say when you caught him?"

"I haven't spoken to him. I locked him out last night."

"Well it has to be some kind of misunderstanding, Tom wouldn't do that
to you."

All the hard edges that Chakotay had lost in the last week resurfaced.

"Kathryn I saw him fucking some alien's hand while he told the little
bastard he loved him! I did not "misunderstand" that!"

Chakotay got up and strode the length of her ready room and fixed his
eyes on some point outside the viewport. Janeway followed him, still
holding the PADD and inserted herself between him and the window.

"Chakotay look at me." When he obeyed her command, she saw that he
really wasn't as angry as he was hurt. "There is an explanation. He
does love you and if you don't want to believe me fine but maybe
you'll believe him."

She placed the PADD in his hand and left him alone in her office.

---

"O, never say that I was false of heart,
Though absence seem'd my flame to qualify.
As easy might I from myself depart
As from my soul, which in thy breast doth lie:
That is my home of love: if I have ranged,
Like him that travels I return again,
Just to the time, not with time exchanged,
So that myself bring water for my stain.
Never believe, though in my nature reingn'd
All frailties that besiege all kinds of blood,
That it could so preposterously be stain'd,
To leave for nothing all thy sum of good;
For nothing this wide  universe I call,
Save thou, my rose; in it thou art my all."


Chakotay slumped down on the lounge in the ready room. The verse was
addendum to Tom's formal request to be re-assigned to his cabin. Once
again the man had surprised and taught him something at the same time.
Nothing was what it seemed.

He had needed Tom for so long that he hadn't really allowed himself to
believe the feeling could be reciprocated. He'd actually been waiting
for his doubts to be confirmed and when he saw Tom with the Mikan, he
let himself to be blinded by fear and jealousy. He read the poem
again. It was obvious to him now that the man that had sent this
message loved him and it was his own insecurities that had prevented
him from believing that.

They would talk. He would listen, forgive and then ask to be forgiven.
Then maybe they could start over.

He returned to the bridge taking the PADD with him.

---

Wham!

Tom staggered back a few feet before approaching the door to his
quarters again. The panels stayed resolutely shut. He tried the
keypad, nothing. It didn't recognize his access codes.

He slumped against the wall opposite his door in the corridor. Oh this
was just fan fucking tastic. The only thing that had gotten him
through a miserable day on the bridge was thought of spending a
miserable night in his own quarters. At least Chakotay wouldn't be
there, his stoic presence reminding him of his screw up the previous
night.

There had been no meeting this morning as Seven had predicted.
Chakotay had tried, judged and sentenced him in absentia. Two weeks
ago he would have accepted that but now it just pissed him off. He'd
made a mistake, OK a really big one, but he still deserved to tell his
side of the story before being condemned.

Well this time it was Chakotay that had made the mistake. He was going
to hear his side even if he had to tie up him to do it. Pushing the
picture of bound naked commander from his mind and damning his own
incorrigibility; Tom strode down the hall to object of his wrath.

Before he punched the door chime the doors slid opened. Surprised, he
entered the cabin, turned and watched the doors close before searching
out his target. The commander stood in the middle of the room as if
expecting him.

"Hello Poocuh."

On no he wasn't going let the man distract him with endearments, he
placed his hands on his hips and went into "Admiral" mode.

"OK here's the short version. I fucked up, I'm sorry and it won't
happen again." He got closer to the commander. "But you fucked up too.
You shouldn't have locked me out, you should have trusted me and let
me explain."

"I know, I'm sorry too."

Well that was a whole lot easier than he expected. He felt his anger
bleed away as Chakotay took advantage of his proximity and stroked the
hair behind his ear.

"Tell me what you want Poocuh."

OK it was do or die time. Tom took a deep breath.

"I want to be the ME that exists underneath all my smartass remarks
and sarcasm and bad memories and bullshit. I've somehow managed to
save this part of myself and I want to share it with you."

Chakotay took Tom lips in a deep soul shattering kiss before framing
his face in his broad hands and looking at him with those rich ebony
eyes.

"I love you."

"I love you too Chakotay, I have for awhile now."

"I have something for you."

The commander took his hand and led him around to the lounge. Once
they were seated he handed Tom his gift.

A data PADD? Tom figured he'd have a thing or two teach the big guy
about romance. He pressed the activate button and the message appeared
on the small screen.

"Request Approved."

---

"Chak?"

No answer.

"Chak, you awake?"

This time the lieutenant spoke the question with his fingers as well.
He tickled the sensitive area behind the commander's balls. The thick
thighs spread and a soft moan escaped the man's mouth but he still
didn't wake. A determined and very horny lieutenant stepped up his
carnal assault. He licked his palm and wrapped it around Chakotay's
developing erection and brought his mouth closer to his face
whispering in his ear.

"Wake up baby so I can love you."

The body was responding to his touch but mind was still slumbering.
Tom nipped the earlobe. That worked a little better.

"Tom?" Sensation flooded the waking man's senses. "Oh spirits Tom."

Chakotay was pulled from his back to lie on his side meshing into
Tom's lean hard body.

"You awake?" Tom kissed him preventing him from responding
immediately. When the lips started tracing the line of his jaw, he
spoke.

"Barely."

"That's OK, just lie back and I'll do the work."

Chakotay rolled back over and shut his eyes. He heard a rustling and
then felt a hand slicking him with oil. Suddenly there was incredible
heat engulfing him. His eyes opened to sight of Tom straddling him,
and impaling himself on his cock. His lover tossed back his head and
used gravity to take him deeper. He thought nothing could be better
than this until Tom began to move. Spirits this was heaven.

Ignoring the ache in his legs Tom lifted himself and shifted until he
felt the head of Chakotay's penis hit his gland. His world winnowed
down to that one sensation as repeatedly raised himself up and down on
thick cock filling him.

As Chak reached for his lover's erection it began to eject a pearly
white liquid. He was so overcome by sight of his lover's orgasm, he
reached his own. His roar mingled with Tom's screams.

He caught Tom as he swooned bringing his own little piece of heaven to
his chest. Chak rubbed his back until his gulping breaths ceased and
the rhythm returned to some semblance of normalcy.

"Well that was new."

Tom peered up at him with one eye still closed.

"That's not a complaint is it?"

"Oh no, just an observation."

"Good. Now stop talking, I need my sleep."

Fighting his instinct to get up a grab a towel, Chakotay let his
beloved drift into slumber. Before succumbing himself he looked
heavenward as his mouth spoke silent words. His guide heard them
anyway.

---

"You deleted all the characters?"

Seven handed him the next instrument to be calibrated. It had been two
weeks since she had changed her tactics and decided to stalk her prey
instead going in for a direct kill.

"Yes, they were interfering with my approach."

"But it was a ballroom scene. That would have left you and the captain
alone in one big empty room."

"That is not entirely correct. I left the band intact."

OK subtle she was not but she certainly was dedicated. She had planned
every step of this seduction with last night supposedly being the
epiphany. He placed the medical tri-corder he was working on down on
the table and gave her his full attention.

"And then?"

"I asked her to dance."

"And then?"

"We danced."

Tom gave her a dull stare and played his hands out in front of him.

"And then?"

"I kissed her."

Finally! Gods it was a good thing that he was such a nice guy or he
would have throttled her by now. He lifted his eyebrows and flipped
his hands out again, the universal sign for "tell me the next part
before I have a cerebral embolism".

"She kissed me back." Her voice lowered in time with her eyes. "And
she did something else which was most unexpected."

"What?"

"She called me Annika."

Thank god. Tom was half scared to death she was going to say the
captain slapped her or pushed her away. Janeway calling Seven by her
human name was a good sign, a really good sign.

"So when are you going to see her again." Knowing her tendency to take
things literally, Tom put a hand up. "Off duty I mean."

"I have invited her for dinner tonight in the cargo bay. Which is part
of my reason for being here. I will require your assistance."

"You got it. With a few candles and some mood music we can make the
place a regular den of seduction."

Having got what she came for she nodded her head and turned to leave.
Tom called out to her before the doors to Sickbay swished open.

"Hey it's been two weeks, aren't you gonna even ask?"

She looked at him as if humoring a small child and placed her arms
behind her back.

"Did he say it first?"

"Yeah."

---

"So in total that makes 38% of the crew that wish to make their
temporary cabin assignments permanent."

They were sitting on the lounge in the ready room having their weekly
meeting. Kathryn had been slightly distracted but Chakotay carried on.
The faster he was done here the faster he'd get back to his quarters
and Tom. Seeing she wasn't any more into the meeting than he was, he
scrolled down to last item on his agenda. The captain interrupted him
before he had a chance to broach it.

"She kissed me Chakotay."

The commander experienced déjà vu. Many a time had he sat across from
one of his sisters, hearing a similar opening statement. Beyval they
went to for protection, Nayib academic problems and him, he got their
love life. He knew that the captain, like his sisters, wasn't looking
for advice, she just wanted somebody to talk to about it.

"And what did Leonardo say?"

She hit his knee with her PADD and continued her story.

"We were in big Victorian ballroom dancing and she got this odd look
on her face. Then she leaned in and kissed me."

"And you kissed her back?"

"Damn right I did. For two weeks I'd been trying to figure out a way
to kiss her, this was not an opportunity I was going to pass up."

"So when's the wedding?"

Kathryn eyed her first officer. After three weeks of sleeping with her
chief pilot he was already beginning adopt his irreverent sense of
humour. She slapped him again with her PADD and responded in kind.

"Well first we're having dinner tonight in her quarters. I thought I'd
wait until we were at least done eating before I popped the question."

"You're having dinner in the cargo bay?"

"Chakotay if she would have asked me to eat leola root stew on the
left nacelle I would have said yes. Now enough about my love life,
when are you taking the next step in yours?"

"Actually Captain that was the last item on the agenda."

The commander sat quietly watching her expressions as she read her
PADD. Looks of disbelief, amusement and sentimentality crossed her
face before she finished and hugged the PADD to her chest.

"It's perfect and "so" Tom."

"Then you'll help? I've already asked half of the alpha shift's
assistance," He remembered being amused by Harry's shock before he
consented. "But without your hand in this to bring it all together,
I'm afraid it won't work."

"It's a pretty ambitious plan to implement in four days."

"Yes it is. So I also plan on speaking to Neelix and Seven and
eliciting their cooperation as well." He folded his hands in his lap
and looked her straight in the eye. "Kathryn this the most important
thing I've done in my life, please say yes."

The captain sighed. The whole thing was against regulations to use up
so much of the crew's time and ship's resources for a personal matter.
It was also was silly, sappy and incredibly romantic. Her decision was
clear.

"Of course Chakotay, it'll be fun."

---

"Wrong blonde."

Tom whirled around at the sound of the captain's voice. Seven had been
delayed in astrometrics, so he was here doing up the finishing touches
on the cargo bay. He had just finished programming the meal Sam
Wildman had helped him with into the replicator when the captain
arrived.

"Captain?"

"Inside joke." She wandered deeper into bay admiring the strings of
small twinkling lights strewn about and the overabundance of white
Calla lilies. "It's beautiful Tom."

"Thanks, but Seven did most of the work."

"Tom, Seven can do a lot of things but this kind of esoterical beauty
is a little out of her reach."

"But. . . "

"It's OK Tom I didn't come here for the atmosphere."

Please with herself for making the audacious Tom Paris blush, she sat
down at a breathtaking table laid with cut crystal and silver.

"I know that." He stopped himself. "Shit, what I meant to say is. . . "

"Dismissed Mr Paris."

The teasing tone of her voice broke his stammering. He smiled and
tipped his head to her before leaving.

"Yes Ma'am."

---

Whoa that was too much information, Tom thought as entered his
quarters.

Seeing the captain as a sexual being for him was a little too close to
thinking about his parents doing "it". Yuck. He spied Chakotay reading
on the lounge in his sleep pants and saw the perfect way to wipe out
that less than appetizing image.

"Hi honey, I'm home."

The lieutenant kicked off his shoes, noting Chakotay's eyes as he
followed their flight, and straddled his new roomy.

"Good story?"

Tom peeled off his jacket and undershirt tossing them in the opposite
direction of his shoes. This time Chakotay didn't turn to watch their
landing place.

"Yes, it about an evil engineer and her dastardly plans to make the
warp core run more efficiently."

Tom stood up on the lounge, his legs still on either side of the
commander and carefully removed his pants and socks before resting
back down on his knees.

"Sounds fascinating."

"You'd be surprised. Would you like me to read the hot parts to you?"

He took the PADD from his lover's hand and flung it across the room.

"Later."

He latched on to those the full sensuous lips and stopped whatever
reply the commander had intended.

After much touching and tasting, Tom noted the near frantic bucking of
Chakotay's hips. He was ready to take this further.

"Switch places with me Chak."

Letting Chakotay slip out between his legs, Tom stayed where hewas and
leaned over the arm of the lounge.

"Do me Chakotay."

"All right Poocuh, just let me get the oil."

"No, Chak. I need you now!"

Chakotay broke out of his commander mode and returned to the couch,
placing himself behind his impatient lover. As best he could he
lubricated his cock and Tom's puckered opening with his own saliva.
Tom squirmed under his attentions.

"Now Chakotay!"

He entered the demanding blond as gently as he could, mindful of
tearing the delicate tissues. Tom would have none of it. He slammed
back into Chakotay driving his cock deep into his ass. The explosion
of warmth had its effect on Chak and he began thrusting into his lover
in wild abandon.

"Oh fuck Tom, oh fuck ohhh. . . "

Tom took his own penis in hand as he savored the thrusts of his
lover's unbridled lust. Chakotay was ramming into him without mercy
and the thought it drove him over the edge. He screamed as he came.

The combination of Tom's cry and the following tightening of his inner
muscles caused Chakotay cock to spasm and with a final thrust he
flooded his lover.

They collapsed on the lounge, holding fast to each other as if they
had just survived a supernova. In a way they had, both had burned
hotly before exploding, seeing stars.

"Wow."

"Yeah."

---

"Voyager to Paris."

He was sitting eating lunch with Harry as he saw Chakotay enter the
messhall. He watched the play of the man's uniform as it tightened and
loosened with each stride of those powerful legs. Chakotay stopped at
a table of four crewmen and Tom felt pride as well as love warm his
heart as he saw the respect reflected in their faces.

"Tom!"

"What?!"

A number of heads turned as his outburst, including the commander's.
Tom stood up and bowed before sitting back down and giving Harry his
full attention.

"Sorry Har. What were you saying?"

"I was "asking" if you knew who Seven was seeing lately?"

"You mean romantically?"

"Duh-uh. What else?"

"How would I know?"

"Well she did want to talk to you about love, so she must have
somebody in mind, right?"

It would be almost worth telling Harry just to see his jaw drop into
that pulsating blue stuff on his plate but it wouldn't be right. It
wasn't anybody's business who Seven was seeing until she herself said
it was. Tom laughed to himself. Gods, Chak's nobility must be catchy.
He tried a different tack with Harry.

"Why do you care?" Tom made to look concerned. "Things are all right
with you and B'Elanna aren't they? You're not sleeping on the
Observation deck again are you?"

He shoots, he scores and the crowd goes wild. Harry forgot Seven and
went on the defensive about B'Elanna.

"No. I mean yes things are just fine."

He really liked Harry Kim but the guy was just too fun to manipulate.
His traditional mentality made it so easy.

"Good Har, you had me scared there for a minute."

Harry's gaze left his and traveled to a spot beyond his left shoulder.

"Hello Gentleman."

"Commander."

Tom was tempted to respond by saying something like "Hey sweet cheeks"
or "Hello Gorgeous" but it would embarrass Harry right under the table
and he'd had enough fun with the poor guy for one day.

"Commander Chakotay."

"Ensign would you mind if I spoke to the Lieutenant alone for a
moment?"

"Ah yeah sure Commander, I was just leaving anyway. See ya Tom."

Chakotay sat down and took Harry's spot across from Tom. Except Tom
saw Mr. Mystic Warrior instead of the commander sitting down, he had
that unreadable look on his face. Oh oh, something was up.

"Chak?"

"I was wondering if you were free tonight at around 19:00 hours?"

"Why? Are you asking me on a date?"

"Yes."

Thinking he could probably free up some time in his busy schedule for
the love of his life, he answered.

"Then yes I'm free."

"Good. I'll meet you in our quarters and wear something casual."

"Sure."

Chakotay took his hand, kissed the back and rose. A very confused Tom
Paris watched him leave.

---

"Computer time?"

"It is 18:45 hours."

"Damn!"

Trust Chak to be "right" on time, Tom mused from his latest position
sitting on the lounge with his hands clasped and his arms drawn
between his knees.

In the last half hour he had alternately tried sitting at the table
trying to look interested in the chessboard and lying sprawled in the
other room on the bed in an effort to look casual for Chakotay's
arrival. Both had failed. So here he sat on the lounge with his knees
knocking back and forth nervously waiting for his "date" with the
commander to begin.

As he waited he thought about changing again. He'd almost worn his
blue silk "come fuck me" shirt but guessing that this meeting wouldn't
be just an excuse for Chak to get "some" he had decided on a pressed
white shirt and tight black jeans. He looked down at himself. Yeah
he'd stick with this outfit. It was sexy and demure at the same time.
Perfect for saying "yes" because he was almost certain that was what
this night was about.

Chakotay was going to propose. There just wasn't any other
explanation, right? The commander already had everything else from him
he could give other than that one thing, a formal commitment. Tom rose
and then sat back down again, doubt playing havoc with his emotions.
Gods please let it be that.

As the lieutenant considered praying to the Spirits for help the cabin
doors swished opened and the commander entered. Tom bolted upright and
met him halfway.

"You're early."

"I'm sorry, I promise I'll do better next time."

Tom repressed an urge to laugh. Shit he must really love this man if
he was starting to appreciate his lame sense of humour. Chakotay
gingerly placed a soft kiss on his quivering lips and stood back.

"You look good Poocuh."

"You too."

Oh now "that" was lame. Chakotay looked more than good, he look great.
He wore black trousers with a matching jacket over a white dress
shirt. It was sort of the same version of his own outfit but classier.

"Thanks."

Chakotay took his hand and took him back over to where he had been
keeping vigil earlier. After they sat, the commander took his other
hand and held both in his own caressing the backs with his thumbs.
Tom's nervousness spiked and he reverted to form.

"So is the "date" starting now?"

An understanding smile formed on the commander's lips as he nodded and
spoke without betraying any of his own emotional turmoil.

"Tom, ever since I was a boy I have been trying to understand my
father's teachings. When I was younger I rebelled against them and
when he died I embraced them. However it wasn't until I became a part
of this special group of people on Voyager did I think I finally
understood them. For the first time in my life I was at peace with my
culture and myself. However all that changed five weeks ago."

Chakotay took a cleansing breath before continuing.

"All of sudden that hard-earned peace and sense of control was gone
and my world was in turmoil again. At almost every turn you challenged
my beliefs and continually surprised me by making me see things in a
new light."

The commander hand went up to stroke Tom's cheek and the somber front
melted.

"That's when I truly heard my father's voice for the first time, in
you."

"Me?" Being lumped in with such a man as Kolopak humbled Tom and
scared the hell of out him. He couldn't even live up to the
aspirations of the Admiral let alone someone as noble as Chakotay's
father but if the incredible man in front of him thought he could,
then he would try with all that he was.

"Yes Poocuh, you. He knew that life wasn't perfect and that things
happened beyond our control. But it was up to us to live that life
anyway with our hearts free from hate and our minds free from worry.
That's something I see you do everyday."

Tom laughed, he heard something similar when he was growing up. Not
from the Admiral, but from his mother who he supposed would not have
been able to suffer her husband without it.

"Chak, my mother said the same thing but with her own particular
twist." He kissed the broad palm on his face and with as much
seriousness as he could muster he repeated her axiom.

"When life hands you lemons, make lemonade."

It was the commander's turn to laugh. Just as he disliked Tom's father
without ever meeting him, he loved his mother. He would have liked to
ask for her blessing for what he was about to do.

The pilot watched how his love's eyes shone and his dimples blossomed
when he was happy. He knew this was something he wanted to watch for
the rest of his life and he wanted the rest of his life to start now.
Chak probably still had something real profound to say before he
actually got to the point but the point was there was really only one
thing left to say.

"Marry me, Chakotay."

To say that the man was dumbstruck would have been an understatement.
Tom didn't know what Chak's next reaction would be but when it
happened he was the one that was dumfounded. Chakotay grabbed his hand
and pulled him up from the lounge.

"OK, let's go."

"What?"

Chakotay looked at him with mock impatience.

"You said you wanted to get married, right?"

"Yeah, but. . . "

The commander pulled him across the room and out into the corridor.
Tom's confusion was increasing by the minute.

"We're going out?" As the turbo lift's doors closed he pressed his
body against the first officer's. "I was kinda of hoping we could stay
in tonight and you know," His fingers slipped the length of his
intended's torso settling on the only seemingly responsive part of
him. "Celebrate?"

The commander caught the errant hand and kissed the fingertips before
answering.

"I do want to celebrate. Trust me, OK?"

Tom looked at him quizzically. He was pretty sure that the commander
had accepted "his" marriage proposal but this sudden urge of his to go
out and party made him think twice.

"You did say yes, didn't you?"

The doors of the lift opened depositing them on Deck 6. He was
propelled by what he hoped was his groom to be down the hall to the
doors of holodeck two. He stopped at the entrance, grabbed Tom's
biceps and looked into his slightly unfocused eyes.

"I love you Tom Paris and I want you to be my husband. Are you sure
you want the same thing?"

For about two seconds Tom thought about making some sarcastic remark
reminding the big guy about who asked who before he was totally
swallowed up by those ebony brown eyes and realized that no, it was
time to be a grown up and not class clown.

"Yes, Chakotay, for now and forever."

Those killer dimples assaulted him and a smile so beautiful it made
him forget everything and everyone that had ever hurt him formed on
that handsome face.

"Good answer."

Together they walked through the arch.

---

Pink on, pink off, blue on, blue off, pink on. . .

Tom threw a hand up and peeked through his fingers to get a better
look at the building. It was small, pinnacled and what he guessed
would be considered quaint if it weren't for the two eight foot
flashing bells that adorned it.

He gave Chakotay an incredulous look before walking closer to the
structure. He pointed his finger at the white double doors, Chakotay
nodded and he shrugged before grasping one of the long gilded handles
and opening it.

The candle glow made him blink as he entered with the commander's hand
at his elbow. As his eyes acclimated to the lower level of light, he
saw that he was at the foot of a long aisle bordered by pews crested
with large silk pink bows. As Chakotay urged him forward a foot music
started and familiar voice he couldn't quite place, began singing "I
can't help falling in love with you".

"Come on baby, our place is up front."

Taking another step he heard the shuffle of feet and the rustle of
clothing. There were people sitting in the pews and as they stood he
saw the familiar faces of friends and colleagues and when he looked
back down at the end of aisle he saw Captain Janeway patiently
waiting. That's when it hit him and he turned to face Chakotay.

"Elvis, right? That's Elvis singing."

"Tom. . . "

Before the commander could say "Obiwan Kenobi" Tom grabbed him by the
lapel and hauled him back outside the chapel. After escaping the
interior, Tom took one look up at the neon bells, fell to the ground
and lost it.

Chakotay was stunned as he watched Tom sit down on the holographic
curb with his head in hands and his shoulders shaking. Spirits what
had he done. He had planned with the help of half the crew a wedding
that he thought would appeal to Tom's love of 20th century lore. He
had foregone his own desires to have a more traditional native
ceremony to do something more impromptu that he had hoped would please
his intended. He sat down on the curb.

"Tom?"

The lieutenant raised his head, his face wet with tears. As a stricken
Chakotay began an apology his lips were capture in a passionate kiss
that forced his back to the sidewalk. Tom maneuvered his body to
straddle his lap and brought him back up to a sitting position. As the
lieutenant wiped a sleeve across his tear stained cheeks, he saw the
mirth glinting in his ocean blue eyes.

"Oh gods Chak, a Vegas wedding?"

"Yes, I thought you would appreciate the gesture."

Tom hugged him close hiding another bout of laughter in his shoulder
before falling back and biting his lower lip.

"Please tell me you're not pregnant and your father's hiding in the
back with a shotgun too."

OK now Chakotay was totally confused, as 24th century men like him
didn't understand the meaning of the words tacky or cliché.

"No, I'm not. Tom are you OK?"

The deadpan seriousness of his lover's remark sent Tom backward on to
the street clutching his stomach his breath hitching with repressed
laughter. Seeing the Chak wasn't getting the joke he got a hold of
himself and tried to explain.

"I'm sorry baby but that was all just so. . . so unexpected." He saw his
lover's alarm. "But if you're willing to getting married to the sounds
of the King singing in the background, I am too."

He stood up and offered his hand in more ways than one to the man that
was his whole world.

---

"Oh fuck say it again."

"I take thee," Chakotay kissed a pale calf and thrust forward. "Tom
Paris," Tom braced his hands and lifted his hips. "As my, oh
spirits.."

"Quick Chak, say it, say it..."

He looked down at the other half of his soul and tried to concentrate
on the words he wanted to hear as he pumped his devotion to those
words into him.

"My husband. . . my husband. . . "

Tom's cock became a fountain as he continued to physically confirm his
commitment, repeating his litany with each thrust of his hips. He
released his hand from a delicate hip to dip his fingers in his
partner's release and as he licked the salty sweetness from his hand,
a pressure born of love and passion exploded from him.

"Oh Tom, oh Tom. . . Tom!"

He let his mate's leg fall from his shoulder and collapsed on his back
beside him. Immediately he was engulfed by slender limbs and felt soft
kisses across his chest. He brought his arms around the suppliant body
and kissed the damp curls of golden hair nestled under his chin.

"I love you."

The declaration brought a beautifully flushed face up to his.

"I know."

He kissed the damp forehead before settling back into the warmth of
what was now their marriage bed. It had been a long and extremely
stressful day for him and he was ready to succumb to a blissful rest
with his beloved in his arms.

"Chak?"

"Yes Poocuh?"

"I love you too."

He held his beloved tighter to him and thanked the Spirits for
pirates, Mikans, meddling moral officers, ex-Borgs, shy ensigns, an
over protective superior officer and finally his father for the gift
in his arms.

"I know, Poocuh I know."

---

The End