"You wanted to see me?" Captain Janeway asked, looking up from the console on her desk. Lieutenant Junior Grade Icheb stepped further into the room, allowing the doors to close.

"Yes, Captain," he said, carefully handing her the PADD he'd been gripping since he left his quarters.

"What's this?" Captain Janeway asked, gesturing with the PADD as she reached for her mug of coffee.

"It is a formal request for permission to pursue a personal relationship with a fellow officer, Captain," Icheb intoned, reciting from the Personnel Manual.

"'Personal relationship'?" Captain Janeway raised her eyebrows and took a sip of coffee, "How personal are we talking?"

Icheb shifted his weight from foot to foot for a moment and folded his hands behind his back. Squaring his shoulders, he pulled himself into a more official posture and answered, "A romantic relationship, Captain. With-"

"Ensign Naomi Wildman," Captain Janeway finished for him, smirking.

"Y-yes, Captain," Icheb said, surprised by how quickly she had assimilated the information on the PADD. He hadn't seen her looking at it.

Captain Janeway appraised him for a moment, presumably trying to determine if he had earned the right. Then she turned her gaze to the PADD. Calmly sipping her coffee, she quickly scanned the PADD's contents.

"Everything seems in order, Lieutenant Junior Grade," she said. Icheb detected a slight raising of the left corner of her mouth, which was pressed together tightly. He seemed to recall this occurring shortly before she released a laugh. Generally the laughter was restrained until the source of the humor was no longer present. Icheb wondered what the source for this apparent laugh might be. Strange.

Once Captain Janeway had officially signed off on the request, she handed it back to him.

"There you go. Was there anything else on your mind?"

It was as though Captain Janeway could read minds. Icheb briefly wondered if that was training all Starfleet captains received, or if it was a prerequisite for becoming one. He would have to investigate this in greater detail.

"... Yes, Captain. I would appreciate some personal advice. Do you think it is wise to pursue a romantic relationship with Ensign Wildman?"

Again Captain Janeway's eyebrows rose a few millimeters. "You haven't asked her yet?"

"No, ma'am!" Icheb replied hurriedly, horrified at the implication that he would go against protocol, "I didn't have permission yet."

"Ah, yes, of course. Well, part of life is taking risks, Icheb."

"Yes, of course, Captain, but Ensign Wildman is..." Even after all these years, he still sometimes struggled presenting his emotions. "She is extremely vital to me. I do not wish to sour our friendship."

Captain Janeway leaned on her elbows upon the desk. "That's not a given. I had a very close friend at the Academy who asked me out when I wasn't interested. We stayed friends afterwards."

"I have read similar advice. However, Nao- Ensign Wildman's friendship is one of the most valuable aspects of my life." Having come upon a conundrum, Icheb furrowed his brows and focused his eyes (if not his mind) on the PADD in his hands.

"I have read about this sensation many times, but it is still strange to experience it," he commented, turning his gaze towards the Captain in hopes of clarification, "I would more readily sacrifice my associations with the entirety of the Voyager crew than with Ensign Wildman."

"Sounds like you're stuck," Captain Janeway commented, a small smile growing upon her lips, "Seems you'd better ask her out."

"But I cannot risk losing her!" Icheb exclaimed, to his surprise as much as the Captain's.

"How are you going to feel if you never ask her out, and she ends up dating someone else?" the Captain challenged. Icheb felt like he'd been hit in the stomach. He had thought of that eventuality before, but to hear it from the Captain made it somehow more real.

"I... I would be heartbroken, Captain."

"Then it seems there is only one reasonable course of action, Lieutenant Junior Grade."

"Yes, Captain. Thank you." His mind buzzing with ways to 'ask out' Naomi, Icheb left without even waiting for permission to do so.

"... Oh, and Icheb stopped by today," Kathryn said three hours later, as she and Chakotay were reviewing the events of the day. He looked up from his report and raised his eyebrows. "Oh really? Nothing serious, I hope."

"Certainly nothing surprising. He formally requested permission to 'initiate a romantic relationship' with Naomi," Kathryn replied, quoting from the copy of the form Icheb had sent her.

Chakotay barked out a happy laugh, and Kathryn couldn't help but join. "Really? That explains why he's been so pensive recently."

"You know," Kathryn teased, shaking her PADD at her first officer, "I don't recall either you or Tom requesting permission. B'elanna I would expect to ignore the rules, but my own first officer?"

Chuckling, Chakotay leaned back on the couch. "Sorry, Kathryn. Guess it was my old Maquis ways."

"Well, don't let it happen again," she ordered, grinning. Brandishing his wedding ring, Chakotay replied, "Don't worry, Captain, I won't."

"Ensigns Ashmore and Wildman, the bio-neural gel packs by intersect 14 are acting up again. Go help Lieutenant Icheb fix them," Lieutenant Nicoletti ordered, handing them both equipment cases. Working with Icheb? Cool. Even though Naomi had no particular desire to go work in the Jefferies tubes, it was worth it to see Icheb. Because he's a good friend. No other reason, of course.

When Naomi and Ashmore arrived in intersect 14, there was already an opened tool case and a neatly folded jacket laying on the floor. Clanking sounds emanating from one of the hatches suggested where Icheb was working. In just his undershirt, apparently. Well, and presumably pants too. ... Why did she feel the need to make that clear?

"I'll get the pack down here," Ashmore said, gesturing to the tube to the left of Icheb's, "You wanna help the Lieutenant?"

Before Naomi could respond, Ashmore disappeared down the Jefferies tube. She could have sworn he'd winked at her. How entirely uncalled for.

Pulling off her own jacket and dropping it on the floor next to Icheb's, Naomi crawled into the tube. If he found it hot, she definitely would; since she'd grown up in a perfectly controlled environment, she wasn't used to temperature differences. And it was definitely hot here. Geez, was the whole ship running a fever or something?

She could see Icheb's feet - he was laying down - so she tried to approach as quietly as possible. Once she got in range she stretched out and playfully yanked on his boot. His sweaty face appeared over his shoulder, with a very charming mixture of surprise and, upon recognition, happiness.

"Na- Ensign Wildman! Have you come to assist me, or simply to distract me from my work?"

He was distracted by her being here? Really? But then she realized he was referring to her pulling on his foot. Of course. What else would he have meant?

"I hear the gel packs are misbehaving," she replied, crawling to his side. Scooting the equipment set further along the crawlway to give them some space, she folded her legs under her and bent over to look at what he was working on.

"So, what can I do?" she asked.

It was a very tight space they had to work in, so it was good they were such close friends. Naomi's knees were pressed against Icheb's shoulder, and given the confined area, their hands kept brushing. If they hadn't been such good friends it might have been... awkward. Fortunately they were, so it... wasn't. He was injecting thermal grease between a temporary fin plate and the gel's support structure, while she welded just behind to keep the grease in. He had to lay on his back to do so, meaning that she was leaned over him. Not a problem at all for friends.

Not at all distracted by Icheb's presence directly below her, Naomi accidentally moved a bit too fast, catching some grease before it had the chance to sink in between the plates. A tiny spark shower burst forth, and several white-hot particles of grease fell on Icheb's face. Thank god he was wearing safety glasses.

"Oh no! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed as he grunted almost inaudibly at the pain. Putting down the welding torch, Naomi quickly wiped off her hand on her pants before licking a finger and pressing it to the worst burn.

"I'm so sorry, Icheb. Does it hurt?"

It took him a moment to respond. Naomi was suddenly thankful that she was already flushed from the heat, because he was just staring up at her. His hands had lowered from their work, and he seemed almost frozen in place. A few strands of hair were sticking out from his impeccably slicked-down head, so Naomi unthinkingly reached out and smoothed them back into place. Icheb just stared.

"No," he said after a year or two.

Reluctantly Naomi withdrew her finger from his face. He had nice skin.

"I-I mean, yes, it does hurt," Icheb corrected hurriedly, pointing to an unmarked spot on his cheek, "Here."

"Icheb, it's not even red there..." It had started off as a gentle teasing, but Naomi's brain caught up with her as she was speaking. Why would he lie about that, unless...

Hesitatingly Naomi licked her finger again and pressed it to the supposed wound.

"Is that better?" she asked softly, allowing the smallest hint of flirtation to sneak into her voice.

"Yes. Thank you." He was so intently focused on her she wondered how he had the mental capacity to speak. Not that she was any better.

Moving very cautiously, Naomi unfolded her legs down the crawlway, next to his body. Maintaining contact with his supposed wound, she settled herself into a reclining position on one elbow. Her hand splayed out on his cheek, ostensibly to merely aid in supporting her finger.

"I'll have to hold it a while, to get all the heat out," she said, proud of her quick lie-inventing prowess. They both knew what she'd said was nonsense, but it'd give her a fall-back position should this encounter turn bad.

"Of course," he acknowledged, his lips barely moving. Not that she was watching them.

A crazy idea sprung to mind. It was risky, but it just might work. After all, Naomi never turned down a challenge. Or a dangerous mission. Even when maybe she should have. But that was besides the point.

Slowly sliding her fingers away, letting them trace down his cheek for a moment before breaking contact, Naomi leaned forward. Trying to ignore her pounding chest and twisted stomach and tense muscles, Naomi craned down and chastely kissed Icheb's cheek.

"It's an old Human saying," she said, perhaps a bit too quickly, when she pulled away, "'A kiss makes it better'."

Icheb, bless him and curse him, didn't react. He just lay there looking at her with those powerful eyes of his. His jaw was tense and his mouth was pressed into a line. Not unhappy - more like he was trying to control his expression. He was doing an unfortunately good job of it, too. But he also wasn't complaining, or looking uncomfortable. Well, not bad uncomfortable. Throwing caution to the solar wind, Naomi leaned towards him once more and kissed him, full on the lips. Though she couldn't be sure in her worried state, it felt like he returned the pressure.

When she pulled away, Icheb asked tensely, "Am I injured there?"

Crap. "No." Oh god, let there be a red alert.

"That was not for medicinal purposes?"

Giving a little, hitched sigh, Naomi murmured miserably, "No." Crapcrapcrap, she'd misread everything and now everything was going to be awkward and-

A miracle occurred. Icheb smiled.

"I am glad it was not for medicinal reasons," he said softly. Icheb mirrored her pose, propping himself up on one elbow. They regarded each other for a lifetime, Naomi's heart beating out of her chest. Then Icheb unsurely leaned in and kissed her. His neck was turned at an awkward angle to avoid her horns, but she didn't quite feel bad enough to stop.

Icheb's hand slid over her side and up her back, holding her closer. His arm was hot against hers, the touch of his skin igniting a fire in her chest. Naomi wrapped her arms around his neck, causing them to tip over as they lost the support of her elbow. But Icheb, being dedicated to seeing a task through to completion, did not falter. He was leaned over her now, just a little, and when she opened her eyes during a breather she almost lost her breath again. The lighting was behind his head, shining bright through his sweetly ruffled hair. Only Icheb could make ruffled hair a sweet sign of affection; he would never allow his hair to get in such a state unless there was something very important distracting him. From the affection in his gaze, she could guess what had distracted him so.

"Naomi... this is... amazing," he whispered, craning down to plant a peck on the tip of her nose.

"I really hope this isn't a temporal schism or alien influence or something," she said, only half-joking. This had worked out way too well to be reality.

Icheb chuckled and slid his arm under her head to give her a pillow.

"I will be sure to check the sensors when I return to astrometrics," he murmured, kissing her again.

They eventually got back to their duty, and soon the gel pack was ready to go. Bizarrely, when they emerged into the intersect, Ashmore was already gone. Having gone through too many mysterious crew disappearances, Naomi hailed him over comm, but he was fine. He'd finished quickly and returned to engineering. It was strange, because he almost sounded like he was suppressing a chuckle, but that wouldn't make any sense, would it?

Brushing it off, Naomi turned to look at her... suitor? Boyfriend? What were they now? She knew what he was: he was really hot, and not just in temperature. As he'd grown up he'd put on a bit of muscle. Naomi was very appreciative of his undershirt, which generously revealed his shapely arms. He still had an implant on his upper arm, the gray tendrils of Borg wiring tracing around his bicep, but that hardly bothered her. And thanks to the sweaty conditions and some totally unknown force pressing against his chest a few minutes ago, his shirt also showcased his chest quite nicely. Those pectorals... They were definitely fully developed now.

"Would you like me to update your request when I update mine?" Icheb asked, smoothing down his hair. Man, someone had really messed it up. Naomi felt no regrets.

"Hmm? What request?"

"For permission to pursue a relationship. When I spoke to Captain Janeway about mine she had apparently already read yours, since she knew immediately who I was referring to." Suddenly his brow furrowed with concern and he amended, "Unless that was for someone else..."

"Huh? What are you-... Wait, you asked for permission to date me?"

"Yes, of course. It's procedure when two officers are involved. I take it you filed no such request?" Though he was clearly relieved that she hadn't been requesting permission for a relationship with someone else, she could also detect the typical resigned exasperation at her blatant disregard for the rules.

"Icheb, I didn't know I was gonna kiss you until I did," Naomi laughed. Before he could respond she encircled his neck with her arms and kissed him again, just because she could now. His reaction time was improving, as he quickly embraced her.

When they parted, he gave her a lopsided smile. "I spent three weeks planning how to initiate a first kiss, and you do it on impulse," he commented ruefully.

"Sorry," she chuckled, "Don't let that stop you from whatever you had planned, though." Everything he'd said sunk in. "Wait, you've been planning this for weeks?"

"Of course. Everything must be perfect."

"Awww, Icheb, that's really sweet!" In fact, it earned him another kiss. Naomi was really enjoying this new method of rewarding him.