A/N: Written for the wonderful and talented rsb for the Deck Nine Summer Exchange. She asked for a story that references Harry and Tom being a couple before Tom and B'Elanna get together. It is canon consistent as well, although that wasn't a requirement. Many thanks, as always, to the lovely Sareki02 for her indispensable beta reading skills, and to Photogirl1890 for her sharp-eyed copy editing. They are awesome (and have plenty of great stories of their own, if you haven't read them yet). Rated T for some language and also implied sexual situations.
Harry Kim rose from a bed that wasn't his and gathered his clothes. A boot here, a sock there, his turtleneck all the way over by the small dining table. He picked up a pair of pants and studied them for a moment before pulling them on. As he straightened, Harry noted how the legs puddled around his ankles. He sighed, letting the pants drop back to the floor.
Another pant leg peeked out from under the bed and Harry bent to grab it. The door to the bathroom slid open.
"Going so soon?" Tom Paris asked, a smirk on his face as he dried his hands with a towel. He was still naked from the waist up, although he'd donned a pair of sweats. They were on the loose side and hung low across his hips.
Harry jumped up, pants in hand and a nervous smile on his face. He'd only managed to get on his turtleneck, boxers, and one sock so far. "Uh, I guess. Or… Did you want to get some dinner or something?"
Tom laughed and threw the towel over his shoulder. It landed neatly on the bathroom sink. "I think we used up most of the dinner hour, Har. We'd be lucky to get leftover leola surprise at this point. But I've got some rations. I can make you something if you're hungry."
Harry tried to quickly slide his pants on while standing, and nearly fell over when his left foot got caught at the hem. "That's OK," he said to Tom once he was sure he'd stay upright. "You don't have to go to any trouble. I'll head back to my quarters. I didn't finish my salad from lunch."
"Leftover salad?" Tom said, eyebrows shooting towards the ceiling. "That's the saddest food I've ever heard. Sit down. It's just a few rations."
Two plates of pasta bolognese soon appeared, along with a bottle of Chianti. "This is really good," Harry said. "Compliments to the chef."
Tom grinned as he sipped his wine. "You sound surprised. I'm a man of many talents, Mr. Kim." He reached over with a still-bare foot and poked Harry high on his right thigh.
Harry shifted in his seat and studied his pasta.
"Uh, Harry?"
He jerked his head up and gave Tom a stiff smile. "Yeah?"
"Not to make this more awkward than it already is, but… was that your first time?"
Harry flushed crimson and looked back at his half-empty plate. He shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous. Libby and I were practically living together before Voyager."
Tom chuckled. "I meant with a man."
"Oh." Harry's shoulders dropped and he looked up. "Not exactly. But it's not my… usual thing. God. Was it that obvious?"
"Not during." Tom smiled at him. "You're a man of some considerable talents yourself. But you're acting pretty weird, and I… I just want to make sure you didn't feel pressured into something you didn't want to do."
"No!" Harry said, dropping his fork onto the floor. Tom leaned over and handed it back to him. "No," he repeated, more quietly. "You didn't pressure me. I was a more than willing participant."
"OK. Good."
They ate the rest of the meal in silence, not a sound in the dimly lit quarters other than the clink of a fork against a plate. Harry's leg bounced. "So," he said once he swallowed his last bite of pasta and scraped his fork for any final traces of sauce. "Does this mean we're… I mean, it doesn't have to. Unless you want it to. We could talk about it. But I'm not sure—"
"At ease, Ensign." Tom chuckled again, before standing and taking both plates over to the replicator. "It's fine. It was just two friends, having some fun. This doesn't have to be a big deal. Don't worry so much."
"Right," Harry said, smiling and nodding as he wiped his face with his napkin. He stood as well. "Two friends, having fun. Good. I'm glad we're on the same page."
"Me, too."
Harry shuffled from foot to foot. "Anyway, it's kind of late. I should—"
"Absolutely," Tom said. "See you on the bridge."
"See you on the bridge."