Title: A Pizza Date
Pairing: Tom Paris/Seven of Nine
Tags: Eventual Romance, Pizza, Angst, Episode: s04e07 "Scientific Method"
Summary: Tom once said that if Seven needed anything, he would always be available. As it turned out, she actually took him up on his offer.
BETA: TheSupernova
There were three people on this ship Tom knew didn't need protecting: Tuvok, B'Elanna and Seven of Nine. Vulcans, Klingons and Borg were species all physically stronger than a run-of-the-mill human. Though Borg technically weren't a race per say, but it was close enough.
Point being, Tom was the last person qualified to protect the resident Borg drone from, well, anything.
That didn't stop Tom from being unusually protective of her.
Tom once said that if Seven needed anything, he would always be available. As it turned out, she actually took him up on his offer. Small things at first—questions about human behavior, why certain crew members interacted certain ways, and even food suggestions. Of course, with Neelix as chef it was hard to recommend anything he made, so most of Tom's recommendations ended up being replicator based.
Which went over just as well with Seven, since she didn't really have a preference. Fresh or replicated was all the same to her.
The latest recommendation was a 20th century food called "pizza". When made right, it was greasy, with a tomato-based sauce with just a hint of herbs and contained topped with cheese and a variety of meats.
Currently, Tom was in a small café he often visited when he was at Starfleet Academy. It had the best pizza anywhere, so he had recreated it in a holodeck program. The original intention was to share this place with B'Elanna on a date, but as of late, she had been brushing him off. She was always either late for their dates or standing him up completely. She was terse, and withdrawn, often immersing herself in her work.
His relationship with B'Elanna had been exciting at first; intense, passionate, and caused entirely by the interference of an alien species who had decided to take Voyager hostage and use them for various scientific experiments. Apparently, his relationship with B'Elanna had resulted from that.
They had soon after decided to continue this 'experiment', but Tom should have seen this coming. In his experience, relationships that started hot and heavy didn't have much else in common. When the initial passion wore off, what was left would be the true test.
Before now, they had danced around each other. It hadn't started off smoothly, but they ended with a pleasant working relationship. It wasn't enough.
"Lieutenant Paris?" came a familiar voice.
Tom turned around, surprised. He hadn't planned to meet anyone else, not since B'Elanna canceled on him. But he wasn't going to say no to a little company.
"I've told you to call me Tom," he reminded her.
Seven seemed to consider it, before acquiescing.
"Tom," she said.
He sat back in his chair.
"So, to what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked her with a grin.
She stood there for a moment, considering it, before speaking. Odd. If Tom didn't know better, he would say she seemed almost nervous.
"I hope I am not intruding," she said hesitantly. "I heard you were supposed to be off duty and I was wondering if you were free to try this pizza with me. I would have asked Neelix to make it but I remember you saying that would be a bad idea."
Well, it seems Tom's day just got better.
"You're just in time. I ordered a supreme pizza and I'm positive there'll be enough for the both of us."
Tom stood and walked around to pull out the chair across from him. Old fashioned chivalry; a bit cheesy sometimes, but Tom liked to think it still worked. Seven sat down without preamble, though she gave him a slight nod as he walked back to his chair.
Well, small gestures may be lost on Seven but that didn't mean Tom wouldn't stop trying. It was only polite.
In the beginning, conversations with Seven were often short and… well, efficient. But lately, it seemed she had been working on her conversational skills. When he mentioned it, Seven tilted her head.
"The doctor and Janeway insisted I work on my social skills and after evaluating the crew, I feel that you are the best one suited to help me with this task," Seven said.
"Well, I'm honored," Tom said. Coming from anyone else, that may seem like cold logic, but from Seven it was a nothing short of a compliment.
"And," she interrupted. "I like spending time with you."
That however, was more up Tom's alley.
He wasn't sure where this relationship was headed, but teaching someone the joys of pizza for the first time and showing her a grand night out on the town? It may not be as explosively passionate as his start with B'Elanna, but it was a refreshing change of pace.
Tom wanted something more substantial and he was getting nowhere with B'Elanna. There was only so much he was willing to endure before giving up on a lost cause.
He was going to enjoy this date, and hopefully, Seven would as well.