Romance By Morticia 1/1 (Sequel to " Revenge ") C/P Rating: NC-17 Disclaimer: Tom, Chak et al belong to Paramount. I am only playing with them and promise to put them back relatively unscathed     Chakotay had disappeared from the bridge mid-morning, muttering about crew performance reports and had still not returned at 1300 when Tom’s lunch break was scheduled. Tom felt a little nervous going to the mess hall alone, he still hadn’t reconciled himself with his new status as Chakotay’s, as Chakotay’s – well whatever the hell he was now. Neelix pointedly ignored him as he filled his tray. He scanned the room for an empty seat but to his dismay, the only free chairs were on B’Elanna’s table. Wishing he had eaten more breakfast instead, Tom reluctantly carried his lunch to her table and gingerly sat down. B’Elanna looked up from the data-padd she was perusing and did a double take. "Chakotay not holding your hand today, Tom?" she spat nastily Tom blushed furiously and played with his food, suddenly not feeling hungry after all. "He’s um, um, busy" He muttered "That’s surprising. I wouldn’t have thought he’d let you out of his sight. You hardly have a reputation for faithfulness." "He trusts me" Tom replied furiously, actually surprising himself with the fact that the words were apparently true. B’Elanna grinned nastily, "You wearing a chastity harness then?" she sniggered Tom blushed and felt tears welling in his eyes at her scorn. Noticing his distress, B’Elanna was genuinely shocked, she had only been ribbing him after all. "I’m sorry, Tom" She said gently "I didn’t mean to hurt you, you never struck me as the sensitive type." Tom looked at her in bewilderment; this was a side of B’Elanna he had never seen before. "What do you mean?" he queried "Well you’ve spent the last five years walking around saying ‘I’m a doormat, wipe your feet on me’" Tom digested her words slowly. "So you thought I wanted to be treated that way?" "Why wouldn’t I? You were always so obnoxiously smug about the way you could make people want you. Like me, I mean I was so lonely, and no one wanted anything to do with me, they were all too scared of my temper and put off by my looks. I HATED having to share you with the rest, but you were all I had." "I’m sorry B’El." Tom murmured, taking one of her hands in his own and rubbing it softly "I didn’t know that you were looking for someone special too." B’Elanna sighed, "What a stupid mixed up pair of fools we both have been." "Yeah." Tom agreed as he looked back over the last five years with regret "So is Chakotay the one?" B’Elanna asked with a brave smile, trying to be happy for Tom "Well he hasn’t bitten me on the bum yet." Tom joked gently B’Elanna coloured furiously but then realised that Tom wasn’t mocking her "Sorry about that, Tom. My temper gets the better of me sometimes. When I feel angry I lose all control" "Funny, fear does that to me." Tom confessed. "Fear?" "Yeah, to be honest B’El, most people scare the crap out of me." "You hide it well." "But obnoxiously." "Yeah." And they both laughed together, in the gentle way of true friends. "So, you didn’t answer my question." B’Elanna said eventually Tom flushed and took a mouthful of unidentifiable food and chewed it slowly as he considered his answer. "I don’t know, B’El, he doesn’t – doesn’t seem to WANT anything from me. I don’t know how to deal with it. I want to believe him, I really do, but I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. No one can be as nice as he is, it just isn’t possible. Everyone uses everyone. That’s life." "I know what you mean, Tom. Everyone shits on everyone. On the other hand I’ve known Chakotay since the Maquis and I have never known him to lie or deal with someone dishonestly. I have also never seen him look at ANYONE the way he looks at you." "Really?" Tom asked with such pathetic longing that B’Elanna forgot every urge she had ever had to jump Tom’s bones and felt an insane urge to mother him instead. "Really, Tom." She said softly, "He looks at you as though the sun rises and sets in your as- eyes" she amended quickly, deciding the original crude image would quite ruin the effect. Tom blushed happily, catching her original intent but finding it rather apt. He squeezed her hand gratefully. "Mind if I sit down?" Chakotay’s soft voice said at his shoulder and Tom jumped guiltily, letting go of B’Elanna’s hand as though it burnt him. Tom ducked his head and fiddled desperately with his food, unaware that Chakotay had heard most of the previous conversation and was actually almost bursting with happiness. Gently Chakotay took Tom’s face in his hands, turned it towards him and planted a gentle kiss on his mouth, right in the middle of the mess hall. Ecstatic at Chakotay’s understanding Tom threw his arms around the older man and kissed him back passionately, snaking his tongue between Chakotay’s lips and burrowing in for the kill. For a moment Chakotay relaxed into Tom’s assault and then he gently pushed Tom away. "Eat your lunch, honey, not me." He laughed gently and was rewarded by Tom’s sheepish grin. B’Elanna watched them miserably; unmistakable passion sparked off the pair and made her feel quite sad. Then again, if Tom could find someone, surely she could too. The thought cheered her immensely and she managed to give them both an understanding grin as they detached themselves and attacked their plates instead. After they had eaten Chakotay turned to Tom. "I’m going to be in my office all afternoon and probably late into the evening. If you like I can grab a quick snack at tea time or if you prefer, we can eat late in our quarters." "Well, I might have plans later." Tom said, testing. "Sure, honey, whatever you like" Chakotay replied gently. Tom glowed with happiness. He looked up and B’Elanna caught his eyes and gave him a wink. "I um – I guess I could wait for you." Tom mumbled "Thanks, honey. See you later, Tom. Bye, B’Elanna" Chakotay said smoothly and rising to his feet left the pair alone. It took all of his self-control to keep his stoic expression as he walked to his office. Tom watched him go with a stunned expression. B’Elanna laughed gently. "He does seem to trust you, Tom" she conceded happily "Yeah" Tom murmured in bewilderment "So what are you making for dinner?" "What?" "Well, it certainly sounded to me like Chakotay is looking forwards to a late dinner with you, so I think the least you could do is make something nice for your date." "Date?" "That’s what it’s called, Tom." "I’ve never had a date" Tom whispered nervously B’Elanna looked at him sadly. "Me neither" she confessed "but I sure can recognise one, and Chakotay was definitely asking you for a date." "So what should I do?" "Nice food, candles, music, flowers, that kind of thing, I think." She said hesitantly Tom looked at her nervously. "Are you sure he’ll like it?" "I know he’ll appreciate the effort." B’Elanna replied confidently Tom remembered the way Chakotay had been so pleased with the way he had prepared breakfast and decided B’Elanna was right. "I’ve gotta go" Tom said, realising his lunchbreak was almost over "But thanks, B’Elanna and I’m sorry we never talked before." "I guess I was too busy biting your bum." B’Elanna laughed, standing up to leave too. She thrust her hand out and Tom reached out hesitantly and shook it. "Friends?" B’Elanna asked "Friends" Tom agreed and gave a sunny smile that took her breath away. As she hurried back to engineering she decided that Chakotay was a very lucky man indeed. ~~~ Chakotay spent longer on his reports than he had anticipated, primarily because of his distractions the night before and he was determined not to ruin the evening ahead by taking work home again. He hoped that Tom would be satisfied with a quiet evening in, although he was prepared to go to Sandrines again if that was what the younger man wanted. He knew that Tom was used to a hectic lifestyle and would probably hate the idea of just relaxing and listening to music with him. He gave Tom a quick call to confirm that he was on his way, and pushed himself back from his desk. Tom had sounded rather nervous, perhaps he was already itching to be out and about. Chakotay could just imagine the way Tom was probably pacing up and down the confines of their quarters like a caged tiger. Shit, maybe he was too old for Tom, after all. He started towards the door, suddenly assailed by doubts. Just because he loved Tom and wanted to save him from himself was no reason to expect that Tom would automatically feel the same. Perhaps Tom was only reacting to him out of gratitude. He had seen the way Tom and B’Elanna were interacting at lunchtime. Under her tough exterior, B’Elanna was as lonely as Tom and a lot nearer Tom’s own age. But then again, she hadn’t seen the pearl in the oyster until HE had revealed it. Why the hell should he give up a treasure like Tom Paris, as long as he could make Tom happy? And he would, whatever it took, he would make Tom the happiest man alive because that was the way that Tom made HIM feel. He hesitated at the replicator, impulse warring with embarrassment and then squaring his shoulders he ordered a bottle of wine and a huge bouquet of long-stemmed red roses, ruefully noting his rapidly depleting account. Then he headed for the turbolift; completely impervious to the smirks of the crewmembers he passed. Let them laugh, he decided, Tom was worth it. ~~~ Tom shifted nervously on his seat. Hesitated and then jumped up to rearrange the table yet again. He had been reasonably content with the arrangements until Chakotay had commed him to say he was on his way and then doubt had hit him like a dark choking cloud. Bitterly he wished he had never listened to B’Elanna. Chakotay would step through the door, see the fancy table and would no doubt laugh in his face. He was Chakotay’s whore, he reminded himself, not his bloody boyfriend. The fact that Chakotay hadn’t actually made use of him yet didn’t change the facts. And yet, Chakotay hadn’t ever treated him like a whore at all, either by word or action. Chakotay had been at pains all along to make him accept that there would be more than sex to their relationship. Suddenly he was GLAD he had done this. Chakotay’s reaction would prove to him one way or the other what the older man REALLY thought of him. So when the door whooshed open, he jumped to his feet, shuffling nervously from foot to foot, but bravely deciding to face Chakotay’s reaction head on. ~~~ Chakotay hesitated in the doorway, gathering his nerve and then stepped forwards bravely, brandishing the roses like a sword. ~~~ Tom felt his knees go weak at the sight of the Commander, who was bearing roses and wine like a romantic character from a holo-vid. The big man froze in shock and then a warm smile transformed his features. Tom’s heart began to pound furiously in his chest and a slow relieved smile crept over his features. ~~~ Chakotay froze, his heart pounding as he saw the beautifully laid table with its romantic candles and he heard the soft music playing in the background. Tom was stood in front of his handiwork, his eyes wide with obvious terror of Chakotay’s reaction. His own relief must have shown because slowly the terror faded out of Tom’s eyes and a matching smile spread across his face. "Snap" he said with a grin and his heart lifted as Tom began to laugh. "Snap?" Tom asked incredulously "Where the hell did you get that term from?" Chakotay blushed, "Well, I used to play a lot of cards in the academy." "Cards, Pool, you were quite a secret raver in your day, weren’t you?" Tom grinned "I had my moments, Tom, in fact, now and then, I still do." Chakotay winked and handed Tom the roses. Tom breathed in their heady scent and looked at Chakotay with sparkling eyes. Tom swallowed nervously before he asked the question that was hovering on his lips "So – um – so, this IS a date? Right?" he mumbled quietly Chakotay stared lovingly at the younger man who was such a strange mix of childlike innocence and streetwise mischief. "Yes, Tom" he replied with kind patience, "It IS a date, our first REAL date." Tom hugged himself happily. "So does that mean we can finally have sex?" he asked excitedly Chakotay found himself torn between laughter and exasperation. "No, Tom" he explained patiently "No one has sex on a first date, only a kiss." "Oh" Tom said dejectedly, then he brightened again "How about on the second date?" "Probably not for several dates, Tom, if you want to do the thing properly." Chakotay replied "You DO want to do this properly, don’t you?" Tom bit his lower lip pensively as he considered Chakotay’s words. He had no experiences to compare the older man’s words with and could only trust that Chakotay was telling him the truth. "So we’d be like boyfriends? Right?" he asked hesitantly Chakotay smiled at the quaint expression "That’s right, Tom." "But we wouldn’t have sex." "That’s right, Tom." Tom paused to digest the idea. "Can we still kiss?" he asked hopefully "Sure we can, and hug, and cuddle and do lots of things." Chakotay replied with a grin Slowly Tom returned the grin. "I like the idea of being your boyfriend, Chak" he admitted bashfully "But I still think the sex thing is a bugger" he muttered under his breath. "Sometimes things are worth waiting for, Tom. Precious things. Things like you." Chakotay replied, sweeping Tom into a reassuring hug. As he was folded inside Chakotay’s strong embrace, the word "precious" resounded through his head like a promise. "I really like you Chakotay" he muttered into Chakotay’s neck And understanding that for Tom the word meant so very much, Chakotay carefully replied "I LIKE you too, Tom". TBC