Title: Closing the Distance 2/3 Author: T'Yanna Email: tyannarebelbase.net Size: 8K Rating: NC-17 Codes: A, F; C/Tu Summary: Commanders Chakotay and Tuvok examine and modify their current situation. Mild spoilers for “Night” and “Alter Ego.” Hey all. This is my first Trek fic, so be kind. This is really kind of long. This is also my fic with actual and not implied slash. Hope you like it. (Sorry about the X-post) Disclaimer: All things Trek belong to Paramount. They have that and I have nothing worth getting in a lawsuit. ~/\~ Commander Chakotay resisted the urge to bang his head into the wall of the turbolift. In the two months since their encounter with the Marq’an, he’d managed to avoid Tuvok as much as possible. Now, just as he was beginning to feel the detachment he thought he needed, he was going to be stuck in a shuttlecraft with him for two weeks. The captain had insisted and nothing he could say would deter her. He drew a steadying breath as the ‘lift approached the docking bay. This was a simple but long survey mission. He could do this. ~/\~ The Vulcan observed Chakotay carefully. His unease had been apparent since the moment he had stepped aboard. The conversation had been to a bare minimum, which was a refreshing change from Mr. Paris’ style. However, this type of mission should have warranted more interactions. It was as if the commander was making a concerted effort to ignore him. It was effective. They were already half an hour ahead of schedule. However, Tuvok was not pleased. He had hoped that this forced closeness would lead to the opening of a discussion on the Human’s part, allowing them time to come to terms with the situation without the hectic environment of Voyager interfering. That did not appear likely. He frowned almost imperceptibly at the younger man’s back. He would have preferred to not be the aggressor at this time. It would take nine hours to reach the next planetoid after they finished with this one. That would be sufficient time to breach the subject. ~/\~ Chakotay didn’t feel like eating. He knew, however, that arguing with Tuvok over it wouldn’t help his already unsteady equilibrium. So there he sat with a cup of soup in his hand, when the Vulcan said, “Commander, I would like to share a personal anecdote with you.” He glanced up, surprised. “You mean engage in irrelevant conversation? That hardly seems like you.” “I do not classify this as irrelevant.” He sat his cup down and leant into listen. He was half disappointed; half relieved that Tuvok only wanted to talk about this mission. His mental teeter-totter came to a crashing halt as the Vulcan’s words penetrated his brain. Embarrassment flooded his mind and his cheeks as he listened with growing horror to the recanting of Tuvok’s conversation with the Marq’an engineer. “Commander, I would like to know what your intentions are.” ~/\~ Tuvok did a most un-Vulcan-like thing. He sighed as Chakotay’s head hit the floor. He had not expected the man to take his announcement so harshly. He hauled the commander to the nearest bunk as gently as he could given the man’s bulk. He sighed again as he settled onto the bunk opposite him. He realized then that he should have waited until the conclusion of the mission. However, what was done was done. All he could do now was wait. ~/\~ Chakotay groaned. Part of his mind was screaming for him not to wake up; that something was terribly wrong. His muddled brain couldn’t recall what. He opened his eyes to see the bulkhead over the bunks. He frowned. He didn’t remember going to bed. How had he gotten there? He heard a noise and slowly turned his head. He saw Tuvok’s reflection through the slight visibility the energy shield allowed. Memory flooded back. He closed his eyes and strangled a groan. The older man must hate him. Any chance he’d ever had with him was ruined. This was a nightmare. For Tuvok to find out was bad enough but in such a way… It was beyond humiliating. He felt more than heard the other man come into the room. It was too much to hope that the Vulcan wouldn’t realize he was conscious. “I would continue our conversation when you are ready.” “How about never?” Chakotay could have bit off his own tongue. Where was his control? He never said the first thing to cross his mind, except that day, apparently. “Unacceptable.” He opened his eyes and sat up slowly, thankful that the security officer wasn’t the kind to punch his lights out, not that he needed help blacking out, obviously. “I’m sorry, Tuvok. It was never my intention for you to find out.” The silence that followed his statement began to wear on his nerves. He finally looked at the other man. His breath caught. He’d dreamed of having those intense eyes focus upon him alone. He could hear his mother’s wise voice saying, “Be careful what you wish for.” What would you say if I told you I found it…. flattering?” The air he’d been holding whooshed out of his mouth as shock flooded his brain as if a damn had burst somewhere up there. He stared at the older man, then said the only thing that came to mind. “I wouldn’t know what to say?” Tuvok hesitated. He slowly nodded. “Then you would not have an answer if I asked you to act on your feelings. Let us ignore this conversation.” The older man had stood up from the other bunk, before Chakotay’s mind clicked. “Wait. Would you ask me?” “Yes. However, you are confused so I will not.” The older man didn’t move as the commander took it all in. He drew in his strength and asked, “And if I weren’t confused?” Tuvok sighed, shocking him. “I would enter into a relationship with the purpose of making you my bondmate. However, you are uncertain, so it would be best if we acted as if this conversation never occurred.” In the instant it took him to make sense of those words, he was on his feet, gripping the man’s arm. He wasn’t confused. He wanted to be with Tuvok. “Ask me. Don’t make me make that an order.”