Hide and Seek
by Joan Powers
Summary: While playing hide and seek with Naomi Wildman, Paris accidentally observes a private moment between Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay. J/C
Genre: Romance
Rating: K
A/N: Thanks to SuzJ1 and Tracy for their valuable input.
"Naomi?"
Paris whispered as he scanned the captain's ready room, his heart beating faster than usual. This room was off limits for games of hide and seek but he'd exhausted all his other options and he was convinced that Naomi was here. He didn't want to draw attention to the fact that neither of them was supposed to be in here. He caught sight of a small cabinet along the opposite wall. It would never be big enough for him but for pint-sized Naomi? He grinned, believing he'd found his prey.
Before he could advance to investigate, he heard the captain sharply say, "Commander Chakotay. My ready room. Now."
Paris was in trouble. He ducked behind the desk, which was flimsy cover at best. An awkward misunderstanding had just turned into a potentially embarrassing incident that might even result in a mark on his record.
The captain and Chakotay had been at loggerheads over an issue for the past day. They continued to fervently argue their points – in the command staff meeting, on the bridge, in the hallway. Paris was surprised the captain let Chakotay get away with essentially questioning her orders. She was the captain. She was in charge.
Yet she'd always given Chakotay more leeway than others. In some ways, Paris felt she enjoyed the mental sparring. But after several hours, it had to be getting old.
He could feel pins and needles settling in his feet as he crouched on the ground behind the desk where he was poorly concealed. He prayed Naomi would remain safely hidden while the captain most likely tore Chakotay a new one for potential insubordination or for just irritating the hell out of her.
As much as Paris enjoyed drama, he didn't want to witness this. He genuinely liked Chakotay and the captain. Both had valid points of view. Chakotay tended to err on the side of caution, which was odd since he was a former Maquis member. Paris had even seen him in action on a Maquis ship where he'd made far more reckless decisions. Perhaps age had mellowed him. Or now he felt like he had more to lose.
The captain, despite her penchant for following Starfleet rules and regulations, was usually far more willing to take risks. Serious risks with admittedly higher payoff but also with more critical consequences. Paris was relieved he didn't have to take sides. That the captain was the ultimate authority.
He heard them enter the room and the mechanical hiss as the door shut behind them. He prayed Naomi wouldn't choose this moment to grow bored of their game, activate her communicator and exclaim, "Olly, Olly, Oxen Free". Sometimes she got confused on the rules, forgetting that the person who was it was the one that called out.
Paris tried arranging his feet more comfortably beneath him in his squat, as he mentally geared himself up for the verbal tongue-lashing he expected to witness. His heart went out to the commander. He didn't want to hear Chakotay being reamed out and humiliated.
The entire crew was exhausted and tense. The situation with the Wadiri was dire and a decision had to be made. While both the captain and Chakotay usually put forth impassive game faces, today their frustration was evident. And that tension had trickled down to the crew.
Tom was feeling stressed. That's why he was playing hide and seek with Naomi. B'Elanna would tease him mercilessly when she found out, but it helped him keep things in proper perspective.
The captain's voice was so low, he could barely make out her words.
"Time out," was all he heard clearly.
Then everything went quiet.
This wasn't at all what he expected. No yelling? No ongoing argument or reprimand? Peering beneath the desk, he could gauge that the captain and Chakotay were standing very close to one another. Their boots were facing each other.
Did he have this all wrong?
He'd been teasing Chakotay for years about his obvious crush on the captain. Had those two finally done something about their mutual attraction? Did disagreeing or fighting fuel some type of weird passion? Or was making out a way to deal with stress? He grinned; he could relate to that.
He struggled to alter his position while making minimal sound. He desperately had to see what was going on.
Slowly, he inched his neck forward towards the edge of the desk, while trying to avoid being seen. His tingling feet weren't helping him maintain his balance. Sweat started to bead on his forehead. Finally, he'd leaned forward to a point where he could see them. He was stunned to discover they were facing each other, with their arms tightly wrapped around each other in an intimate embrace. The captain's face was pressed against Chakotay's chest. He was surprised that they weren't kissing, and inwardly grateful that their hands weren't all over each other. And thank God their eyes were closed otherwise Chakotay would've most certainly seen him.
Tom wasn't sure what to make of this. How was he ever going to escape unseen? He was excited for the couple but very nervous about getting caught in this compromising position. Of all the stunts he'd pulled over the years, he'd hate it if this were the one that cemented his reputation. He had no desire to embarrass the captain or the commander. He longed to stretch his stiff limbs and stomp his feet to wake his numb toes.
He also felt ashamed of his tawdry thoughts. The captain and Chakotay obviously shared more than physical attraction with each other and seemed to be drawing comfort and strength from one another. Though Paris should've already realized that, knowing how Chakotay spoke of the captain. To him, she had never been just a sexual conquest.
He wasn't sure how long his body could stay in this cramped position. His joints were protesting. And how long would Naomi remain silent? She was just a little kid. At any moment, she could burst out of her hiding place. Beads of sweat started to trickle down his arms. He starred towards the cabinet, mentally willing her to stay put.
After what seemed like an hour to Tom, which was most likely only ten minutes, he heard the captain whisper, "I love you."
Then Chakotay confidently replied. "I know. I love you too. You know I'll always have your back." Then he kissed the top of her head.
Tom quickly leaned back behind the desk, biting back a cry of pain when he grazed it with his head in the process. But the captain and Chakotay didn't seem to notice. Thankfully they returned to the bridge.
Finally able to move, Tom rushed to his feet, stamping them to wake them up. Then he stumbled forward to open the cabinet, only to discover Naomi wasn't hiding in there after all. He waited a few moments for the bridge to settle, then he dashed out of the room, praying no one would notice him or comment on his exit.
Wait till B'Elanna hears about this!
The End