Title:  Matchmaker, Matchmaker P5
Author:  Cheryl Forbes
Fandom:  Star Trek:  Voyager
Pairing:  Chakotay/Tom Paris
Rating:  NC 17
Series:  5 of ?
Email for feedback:  forbesc@skyia.com
Disclaimer:  Voyager and her crew are the property of Paramount and
not me.  Whatever.

Summary:  The boys get ready before Tuvok's and Neelix's party.

He did not want to do this.

Enduring a ceremonial procession of Klingons with pains sticks would
be preferable than facing this one lone part Klingon's ire.  Although
she'd come along way in controlling that side of herself in the last
seven years, B'Elanna's anger was still a force to be reckoned with.
He hit her door chime and held his breath.  She was expecting him but
had no idea what he wanted to talk to her about.  The doors slid open.

"Chakotay, come in."

He entered realizing that this was first time he'd been in her
quarters since Tom had moved in and then out.

"Can I get you something?  Tea?" She hovered by the replicator.  "I
don't have any of that Antarian cider you like but I can replicate
some.  It won't be the same but if you want.-"

"Tea will be fine B'Elanna."  He said as he made himself comfortable
on her couch.  She nodded anxiously and ordered the beverage.  The
engineer was nervous and foreboding hit Chakotay like a sledgehammer.

It was possible that through the ship's grapevine she'd already heard
about his relationship with Tom and was dreading this conversation as
much as he was, but then again perhaps not.  If she had, she should
be pulling her Bat'leth off the wall and holding at his throat by
now.  Her curious behavior wasn't making any sense.

"So what can I do for you?"  She placed the cup down in front of him
on the low table and sat beside him, sitting on her hands.

"There's something personal I need to talk to you about."

"I know.  I've been waiting for you to show up at my door."

"You have?"

"Yes I've been walking on eggshells for a week wondering when you
were going to bring up my relationship with Kathryn."

"Who you see is none of my business B'Elanna."

"Damn right it isn't!"  She leapt from the lounge and faced him with
her hands on her hips.  "I didn't plan it Chakotay, it just happened
but that doesn't matter!  So what if she's the captain!  What we have
is good and not you or anyone else is going to make me stop seeing
her!"

Screaming with her hair whipping about her face, B'Elanna was falling
fast into a battle rage.  If he didn't do something soon, her anger
would lead her beyond the point of listening.  Standing, Chakotay
grabbed the shaking engineer by the shoulders and shouted into her
face.

"B'Elanna!  I'm in love with Tom!"

"What?"  B'Elanna quieted but her eyes were still unfocused and she
was breathing hard from her tirade.

"I don't care about you and Kathryn."  He said his voice returning to
normal.  "But I do `care' about Tom Paris."

"You and Tom?"

"Yes.  That's what I wanted to speak to you about.  I thought you
should know how I feel about him before it became common knowledge."

She slipped out of his hold and sat back down on the couch.  Chakotay
followed, watching her closely.

"I don't understand.  You don't even like him.  How could you love
him?"

"Well you know what they say about love and hate."  He said trying to
inject levity into the situation and relieve the tension.  B'Elanna
looked at him deadpan reminding him that Tom was the one with the
sense of humour.

"When did it happen?"

Chakotay had been afraid she was going to ask that.   How could he
tell her that he had coveted the pilot's tight ass while he still
warmed her bed?  B'Elanna would see his avarice as a betrayal of
their friendship.   Was he willing to sacrifice something so precious
by letting a man come between them?  The deep-seated bond had with
stood bloodthirsty Cardassians and an unsympathetic Federation but he
wasn't sure it would survive Tom Paris.  For it to do so might mean
lying to her while denying his feelings for the one person he'd ever
truly loved and that would be an injustice to all of them.

"Chakotay?"  She prodded.

"About a year ago."  He admitted, making his choice.

"A year?" The look on her face changed from one of confusion to one
of extreme hurt. "You bastard."

"B'Elanna I didn't do anything about it until after you'd broken
up."  Chakotay held his hand out.

"Didn't you?" She backed away from him, retreating to the far end of
the lounge.  "Now I understand why you never took his side in a
dispute.  You wanted me to leave him."

"If you remember I didn't take your side either."

"No you didn't but I thought it was because you wanted me to figure
out things on my own.   What a fool I was.  I told you our most
intimate secrets.  I told you what he liked and didn't like, how he
was in bed, oh my god were you taking notes Chakotay?  Did my
failures help you to seduce him?"

Her tone was accusing and he didn't deserve it but that knowledge
didn't stop it from hurting him deeply.

"B'Elanna it wasn't like that.  I all ready wanted him by the time
the two you started having trouble."

"So you were circling like a vulture hoping for our relationship to
die?  Forgive me Chakotay if I say that doesn't make me feel any
better."

"It wasn't like that."

"Get out."

"No. We're not finished talking about this."

"We are.  Now leave before I have to call Tuvok."

Not waiting for him to vacate the room, she so did herself and
entered her bedroom.

Stunned he sat on the lounge alone, thinking about how drastically
his life had just changed.  In the space of one conversation he had
chosen his lover over his one of best friends, negating a vault of
comradeship and memories, both good and bad.

It was, he prayed, a temporary setback.  In time B'Elanna would
accept Tom as his lover and partner.  Rubbing his hand down his face
he laughed at the perverse irony of the situation.  Not only did he
have to convince the skittish pilot the value of their liaison, he
now had to win over his ex-lover.  Didn't anyone believe that love
conquered all anymore?

Heaving himself off the couch, he left B'Elanna's quarters for his
own.  If he hurried, he'd have time enough to shower and find
something appropriate to wear before the unusual reception tonight in
the mess hall.

********

"So it's like a kilt."

"A what?"

"A kilt.  A traditional Scottish dress that is worn sans underwear."

"Scottish?  That's a Terran species, right?"

"Well not exactly a species but yeah, they're from my home planet.
Will everyone be wearing one of these?"

"It's called a ashau'ain Tom and no, as my best man you're going to
be the only person, besides Tuvok and myself wearing one.  The
Vulcans have clothing for almost all their special occasions and
ceremonies."

"You've been boning up."

"Well it has been sort of a hobby for me these last few years, but
since Tuvok accepted my proposal, I've been doing a lot of extra
reading."

Tom held his arms out with his head twisted back and sashayed the
length of Neelix's living area.  He watched in fascination how the
long embroidered silk robe flowed out behind him in eddied waves.
Neelix's garment was similar in style, cut high in the throat, with
deeper coloured panels in down the front and long wide sleeves but
where his was teal blue, the moral officer's was a deep chestnut.
Tom walked back to the Talaxian, relishing the feel of the satiny
fabric against his bare skin as he moved.

"So what's it like?"

Neelix fussed with the tight collar of his own version of
ashau'ain.  "What's what like Tom?"

"Getting married.  Are you scared?"

"I already am married.  We bonded two days ago."

Surprised that they'd found the time what with the chaos that had be
going on for the last week on Voyager, Tom pressed his question.

"Yeah, yeah I know but before that.  Did you get cold feet?"

"No.  Being with Tuvok is what I dreamed about.  What frightened me
was finding out if he felt the same way about me as I did him."

"And he did, but it didn't scare you to think that by accepting him,
that was it.  Your life as you knew it was over and you'd have to
change everything for him?"

"No Tom, never.  I know things will be different and I'm looking
forward to it.  I suppose it is a little frightening but I'm not
going to be alone.  Tuvok will help me."  The colourful Talaxian
leaned into him and whispered conspiratorially.  "He's a very
sensitive and emotional man you know."

"Yeah hooray for sensitive and emotional men."  Tom said under his
breath thinking somewhere, someplace, Chakotay's ears must be
burning.

********

"You look very handsome Commander."

"Thank you Captain, so do you."

"Handsome?"  She took a step back causing the pale pink and blue
panels of her long shift to froth out gracefully around her bare
feet.  "I was going for beautiful."

"It was implied." He said bowing and allowing the dark folds of his
blue-black robe to billow forth.  Curling his toes in the warm desert
sand of the oasis, he folded his arms in the flowing sleeves of his
gown and smiled at her.

"Did you come stag Kathryn?"

"Yes, but I don't intend to leave that way.  My date was delayed.
She said something about doing a last minute diagnostic on the warp
core."  She walked over to one of the many fountains that cooled the
arid garden and purloined a glass of sparkling wine from the
selection that rimmed its edge.  "And yours?"

"In the wedding party."  Chakotay retrieved his own glass from the
fountain.

Without actually saying whom they were with, they made themselves
clear as the champagne they were now sipping in comfortable
companionship.

As senior officers, their choice of bed partners was always going to
be suspect and they both knew that.  Abuse of power and sexual
harassment were added issues to be considered when seeking romantic
relief from someone in the ranks.  Discretion and sometimes secrecy
was often called for even between themselves.  However with all the
other baggage Tom came with, Chakotay had forgotten that.  It hadn't
been until he walked into the reception, and Kathryn had fallen into
the game had he been reminded to show decorum.

In Central Park with Harry, it had been different. Chakotay had made
a show of treating the young ensign with respect, making it obvious
to all who cared to look that they were on a first date.  As a result
their socially correct appearance on the holodeck together had caused
little speculation.  Granted that probably had less to do with his
demeanor and more do with the fact that they didn't make a very
believable couple.  With Tom it was sure to be different.  No matter
how he treated the intrepid pilot at this reception, it would be
cause for gossip.  Whom ever the pilot chose to sleep with was always
news.

Tom was as beautiful as he was witty.  He was considered choice
companionship and attracted both sexes of crewmembers equally.  When
he had entered in what had seemed to be a serious relationship with
B'Elanna, more than half the ship had gone into mourning.  For
Chakotay to make an obvious claim on the much wanted and recently
singled lieutenant now would be cause for tremendous outcry.  The
resulting backlash could damage his credibility but only if he let
it.  At the moment his public image was the least of his worries
compared to how the less than predicable pilot would react to the
scrutiny.

Chakotay had already sacrificed his friendship with B'Elanna to be
with him and had no intention of letting something as trivial as
public opinion destroy what he considered to be the greatest and last
love affair of his life.  He was a good leader and having the pilot,
as a lover wouldn't change that intrinsic fact.  The crew would
eventually get used to seeing Tom at his side.  What would be the
real challenge would be getting Tom used to being there.

It had been a battle just to get the younger man to say his name.
Chakotay had no idea how much he'd fight the idea of being considered
his life mate amongst Voyager's crew.  Tom hadn't even admitted yet
he loved him, so how could he face the actual reality of what those
words meant?  Fidelity, commitment, and devotion were values he
believed the pilot was capable of but accepting them without feeling
loss was another story.  Chakotay would have to tell the tale and
make him believe it with force if necessary.

"They're here."  Kathryn said beside him.

Parading through the holodeck's arch strode Tuvok and Neelix in their
matrimonial robes with Tom trailing behind.  Voyager's crew clapped
in their marriage.

Chakotay slapped his hands together with theirs in time but not for
the wedding that was, but for the wedding that was yet to be.

*******

"Do you swallow?"

"Yeah."

"Really and does it taste good?"

"It's not about taste Har, it's about taking what your lover wants to
give you."

"Oh.  So how do you keep from stop choking?  Every time I put Tem's
cock in my mouth, I gag."

"Practice Harry.  Hey did you see Chakotay?"

"He's talking to the captain, I think.  Do you suck his balls?"

"What?"

"When you give the commander head.  Do you do anything with his
balls?"

"No I haven't had the chance.  Where abouts did you see them?"

"By the fountain on the east side.  What about the head?  Is Chakotay
circumcised?"

"No.  I guess they don't do that on Dorvan V.  Which fountain the
blue one or the pink one?"

"Tem's clipped and his crest is big.  Really big Tom.  Am I supposed
to put my tongue in the slit?"

"For Christ sake Har, isn't there some data file you can access for
this information?  Why do you have to ask me?"

"Because you've done it and as my best friend you're supposed to tell
me stuff like this.  Reading it isn't quite the same."

"Oh shit Har, you want me to tell you how to fuck Gerron Tem?"

"Why not?  If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't even be asking."

"Shit.  OK fine ask but don't be surprise if I start humping the ice
sculpture.  I haven't been with Chakotay for sixteen hours because of
this fucking party and I'm hurting for him real bad."

"Are you in love with him Tom?"

"What does that have to do with getting your lover off?"

"Change of subject, answer the question."

"No."

"No, you don't love the commander"

"No, I'm not going to answer your question."

"Aha!  So you do!"

"Shit Harry quit reading between the lines."

"Yep, I thought so.  You've been too damn nice to be anything else."

"Fuck off.  I have not."

"He loves you."

"And what Betazoid told you that?"

"I don't need clairvoyance to see how much Chakotay loves you.  Shit
Tom, it's clear in his eyes every time he looks at you."

"I know."

"And it's clear in yours."

"It is?  Oh fuck, it probably is."

"You're a goner Tom Paris."

"So now what I do?"

"Go with it.  In the words of my best friend who has entirely too
much attitude for his own good, take what he wants to give you."

"But he wants a lot Harry.  He wants everything."

"Yeah and so what.  Who are you saving it for Tom?"

"I was thinking me but I don't know anymore."

"Well take it from a friend you're not worth it.  Give it to the
commander."

"Oh thanks a hell of a lot."

"No problem.  Now tell me something."

"I'm not going to marry him if that's what's you're going to ask
next."

"It wasn't but now that you've brought it up.-"

"No fucking way Harry!  He'll want rings, vows and knowing his
perverse sense of morality, an open ended contract."

"You mean he'll want to keep you forever."

"Fleet marriage contracts come in three and five year agreements for
a reason Harry."

"Yes they're long enough for the possibility prodigy."

"I don't want to have a baby."

"OK so knock him up and if it really pisses you off do it more than
once.  Four or five times would really put the commander in his
place."

"It would, wouldn't it?  I can see him now trying to look all holier
than now trying to tell a alien species to stand down weapons while
eight months pregnant.  Oh fuck Harry that would be rich."

"So why don't you humiliate him by marrying him and making him carry
your children."

"Oh yeah and then at home, I'd.-oh fuck Har, I see what you're doing."

"I'm showing you what you should be doing."

"Trapped."

"OK now you fuck off.  Nobody can cage you and we both know that.
You're just scared to let somebody give a fuck."

"I'll hurt him."

"Oh probably but mostly you'll make him happy.  Nobody get anything
for free Tom, even if your name is Chakotay and you're the first
officer of the only Fleet ship in the Delta quadrant."

"He deserves more."

"Than what?  He already has your love.  What more could he want?"

"Humming."

"What?"

"When you have Tem's cock in your mouth, hum.  That way you don't
have to take it all the way and it will still feel good to him."

"Good advice, I'll consider your words Tom."

"Me too Harry, me too."

TBC