Coming Out.
It was a party for one of the ensigns stationed on the lower decks and it was in full swing. Food and drinks spread across the mess hall along with music and chatter. Chell had taken the opportunity to show off his organization skills and everyone accepted it as a much needed break from the daily drudge and too frequent adrenaline rushes. A banner for a fortieth birthday and numerous balloons made the mess hall extremely cheery and colourful. Most people were in groups, talking animatedly and happily. However, not everyone was pleased with their conversation.
Seven of Nine was irritated and with good reason. The Doctor was pestering her yet again about furthering her social skills. Since he'd removed the Borg component that shut down her brain functions with greater emotions he'd taken it upon himself to encourage her. This time he had an accomplice and Tom Paris was proving a loyal if annoyingly persistent friend. Luckily or perhaps unfortunately, by this point in her socialization Seven understood the motivations behind their actions. Tom was being his usual jovial self, trying to help a friend he had more compassion for than others simply because he understood what it was to be misunderstood. The Doctor, on the other hand, was encouraging her to start a socialization experiment, to practice dating. He was being both a concerned friend and holding out hope that Seven would choose to experiment with him.
Seven and Chakotay had been dating for over a month and had yet to tell anyone of their relationship. It wasn't that they wished to be secretive or were afraid of what people would say. What did the opinions of others mean to a senior officer and former Borg drone? They simply liked their privacy and found no reason to flaunt themselves.
"Seven," the Doctor wheedled, "you've moved forward so much and I want to see it continue." He motioned to her appearance as he spoke, indicating her newest crewman's uniform and soft curls held behind a silver barrette. She had changed more than her clothing over their month together and though Chakotay had never asked or hinted that he wanted her to, she'd changed for him. Social norms pressed her and she wanted to be worthy in all eyes. Suddenly human customs and expectations had meaning to her. Chakotay would have argued if he'd known her motives, but she didn't intend to tell him.
"You think I was insufficient before?" Seven asked with her usual blunt curtness in an attempt to fluster the men. Distraction often worked, but usually she was less emotionally invested in the conversation.
"No, but don't you see how you were still clinging to your Borg identity?"
"The pursuit of love is one of the strongest drives for individuals, humans in particular," said Tom. "It's certainly made me the happiest I've ever been." He looked over to his wife, who watched over Miral while Samantha Wildman cooed indulgently at the baby. There was a decidedly sappy grin on Tom's face as he did so. Seven wiped the amusement from her own lips.
"I'm more than willing to set time aside for you," said the Doctor. "It's important that you take your momentum and take the next step for your individuality." The Doctor said this with such vehemence that even Tom glanced away, a little embarrassed and Seven reached her breaking point. About to retort, Seven happened to glimpse Chakotay's entrance into the mess hall.
"I have all the help and momentum I require." Fuelled by her anger, Seven strode through the crowd to Chakotay's side. He turned from greeting some of the other crew to her approach with a slightly bewildered expression.
Before Chakotay had the chance to fully face her, Seven had leaned her body against his and kissed him. It wasn't long, but they were both slightly out of breath by the time they parted.
"I take it we're not being discrete anymore," said Chakotay with a mix of amusement and stirred passion.
Her face was still inches away from his. "You are correct."
"Good." He captured her lips again, pleased if still surprised by her greeting.
Tom laughed in appreciation of the spectacle once he'd gotten over the initial shock. He looked over at B'Elanna and though she was still attempting to get her eyebrows down from her hairline, she too looked ready to laugh.
Harry Kim, who stood with an outwardly impassive Icheb and a gaping Chell, was simply astounded, as were the rest of the surrounding crew.
"You know," said Chakotay with a glance around the buzzing room, "we just set every tongue on the ship wagging."
Seven smirked, her blue eyes dancing around with shocking playfulness. "And yet I find myself unconcerned." Chakotay laughed.
To the Doctor, the moment he saw the kiss was the moment he finally learned something about humanity from Seven. Unrequited love… Well, anyone who hasn't experienced it can never understand so he never attempted to put the feeling into words. All he could explain years later was that he realized the difference between knowing a route is hopeless and ridding the heart of associated feeling.
To the rest of the crew, the relationship was nothing more or less than a solid, admirable bond between two individuals who strove every day to improve themselves because love drove them to betterment. In not such a long time later it became a story to tell at a wedding. Not even Tom and B'Elanna had been so dramatically public.
It was the sort of relationship people would ponder and try to emulate years after one and then both were gone. How could they not? The entirety of their relationship was summed up with a single spontaneous kiss and proven every day until each part of the whole was physically gone, their memory living as strong as they did.