Disclaimer: ST: VOY isn't mine.

Author's Note: For SV, it's not about a headache but hopefully it'll cure yours. Your cupcake invaded the plot bunny.

Sweet Victory
by mistress amethyst une

"Eight point seventy-six?" she gaped at him.

Chakotay thought it was excellent news. The crew evaluations of her performance had just come in, and the average for her was an eight point seventy-six out of ten.

"Eight point seventy-six," he repeated. "Congratulations."

He took a cupcake out of the basket Neelix had given him, and placed it on her desk. On it, her score was written out in icing. She glared at him as she observed him slowly walking backwards, toward the door. He hoped she wouldn't ask-

"And how did you score? Where's your cupcake?"

"Already ate mine."

"And?"

"Look, if it's any consolation, Tom got a six point one, and Harry scored just a bit better…six point twenty-seven. Tuvok got a five point eighty-four. The doctor got his four point fifty three. Holographic cupcake, that one. B'Elanna got an eight point thirty-six, and Seven got…pi. Someone's idea of a joke. Gave her a chicken pot pie."

"Commander, you haven't answered me. Your score?"

"I told you. I already ate it. Can't we respect my privacy this year?"

"You just told me the scores of all the other senior officers. That wasn't too respectful of their privacy…"

"It's not my fault that Neelix makes me deliver the cupcakes."

"Commander," she said in a warning tone. "I assure you I won't take it against you if you scored higher than me again."

He seriously doubted that. The last time he'd scored higher than her, she'd gotten awfully competitive. How many times did she wipe the floor with him in Velocity before she was satisfied? And of course, those "friendly" pool games where she divested him of all his replicator rations…

"Eight point seventy-four," he stated, embarrassment etching itself on his face.

"Oh…I beat you by point two? Was that why you didn't want to tell me? It's nothing to be ashamed of, Commander."

Her voice didn't hide her glee at all.

"Yes. By point two. Satisfied?"

"Not at all," she grinned. "Why would I get any satisfaction out of this? We only do this so we can gauge how the crew perceives our performances."

"Permission to be relieved."

"Dismissed," she stated, still grinning from ear to ear.

As the ready room doors shut behind him, he couldn't help but smile. He'd dodged the bullet this year. Ha! Eight point seventy-four? Him? Definitely not. He took the last cupcake out of the basket and bit into it. He was quite sure his nine point fifty-eight tasted a lot better than her eight point seventy-six.


Yeah, I'm high on sleep-deprivation. Whee...