NOTES: This was written in an hour.  Not betaed or anything.  This story is for Mykkhal.

Pairing P/K, Rating R

Summary:  The title says it all.

Disclaimer:  Paramount owns them.  I want them, but they won't negotiate.

For the last two months Voyager had been in an empty area of space which we have taken to calling The Void.  Severe rationing was in effect and certain crew members have become very adept at obtaining rations from others in order to have a water shower instead of a sonic shower, or a large replicated meal instead of Neelix's imaginative leola root entrees.  Tom Paris has become a demon at pool.  When not playing Captain Proton, he stood guard near the entrance to Sandrine's waiting to lure suckers in.

I am here to be his sucker.  I laughed to myself. Well, I wanted to be his sucker too, but for now I was here to be his sucker to be his err..."sucker" eventually.

"Hi Tom."

"Hey Har."

"I don't think you're gonna get any takers."  I made a large gesture to the empty corridor outside Holodeck 2.

"Why not?"  Tom continued chalking his pool cue.

"Yeah, I think it has something to do with that avaricious gleam you get when anyone walks along this hallway."

"Hmmm... I see... So why're you here?"

Feigned shock, I do it so well. "Oh yeah, so I am.  I'll be leaving now."

"Not so fast Cassandra." 

A fine-boned hand pulled me back at my shoulder.

"Huh?"  Clueless and innocent works "so" well for me.  "And who is Cassandra?"

He pushed me ahead of him into the dark interior of Sandrines.  "She was Greek.  You never met her."

"Ooookay."  Disbelieving smirk.  I can do that look too.

Five games later, the vulture aptly named Tom Paris, had relieved me of my rations for the next year.  Time to make my move.  First let me assume that pose of studied nonchalance.

"Tom, that's it,  I don't have anything else to bet.  As it is,  I'll be eating Neelix's cooking for the next year and the less said about how often I'll be showering the better.  I'm going now."

"No, Harry.  Don't leave.  You don't have to bet anything."

"I don't think so Tom.  It's not a good idea to bet when you can't afford to lose.  I don't have anything left, well except for one thing, of course."

"What?  Your clarinet?"

"No.  You won that remember...two games ago."

"Huh, yeah.  So what do you have to bet?"

Ah ha,  I've got him.  Gonna reel him in like my grandmother taught me to do when we went fishing at that spot on Betelguese's moon's, Moth resort.  She taught me to catch some animal whose name was unpronounceable to humans but she called crappies.  She taught me that the trick about fishing is to never let the fish know there is a hook on the end of the lure.

"The only thing I have to bet is one secret."

"You have a secret.  Tell me."  He looks so adorable when he pouts.

"No, you've to bet me for it."

I challenged him.  You could see it excited him.  Demurely, I turned away before he could see the ear-to-ear grin across my face.

"This secret's important, the most important of my life, so what will you put up?"

Ooh, he was intrigued.  He wanted to know what I wouldn't tell him. After all I'm Innocent Kim.  What secret could I have that I wouldn't tell him?  What secret did I have that he didn't know already?

"You're on.  I wager all the rations I won from you and your clarinet," he saw the look on my face, "and the sheet music I just won from you against your secret."

He chalked his cue thoughtfully, "Is your secret worth it."

Hell yes, it's worth it.  I am hard here thinking how much it's worth it.  But I look at him with utter seriousness and answer.

"It's worth my life and my future."

"Then let's play.  It's my turn to break."

I could be charitable and describe what followed as a game.  In truth it was utter annihilation.  At least I got to play once and I was doing well until I carefully flubbed a shot.  I would have made a mistake eventually, but I do so hate to depend on chance.

Tom sank the last ball into the corner pocket and turned to me, triumphant, incandescent with his recent win.

"Tell me."

Utter shock crossed my features.  I was putting to good use every acting nuance Professor Romnelski had taught at Julliard in my junior year.

"Uhmmm...."

"A bet's a bet Harry.  You have to tell."

"I guess."  There was a touch of reluctant agreement.  Does Tom know that if I hadn't wanted to be in 'fleet so badly, I would now be acting in the vids.  I am a good Starfleet officer, an accomplished musician, but I am a stellar actor.  I turned away from him.

"It's OK, Har.  You don't have to tell me.  But a bet's a bet, y'know."

That was a definite whine from the lieutenant.

"I know Tom.  I'll tell you.  Just wait a minute."

Now that the moment had come, I was fumbling.  I got my uniform off without him commenting.  Could it be that he was enjoying the view?

"What is it Harry?  You have a tattoo hidden somewhere?"

Ahh, you just gotta love him.  I finished stripping, back still turned from my friend.  After removing my boots, I straightened.  Looking down at myself, I saw my very healthy erection.  Little Kim-san approved of this idea, I could tell.

Taking a very deep breath, I turned and faced a very quiet Tom.

His eyes were enormous, eyebrows raised, mouth open, pool cue slipping from slack grasp. I do believe I succeeded in shocking him.

"Har."  He squeaked.  Yeah, I am serious.  He squeaked.  "Where is the tattoo?"

Innocent confusion was needed now.  "What tattoo?  I don't have a tattoo?"

Now I know how women feel when they complain about some alien cultures focusing on their breasts.  Tom's eyes were downcast.  They had not lifted above the level of my cock.  My cock, having a mind of its own, happily began to ooze pre-ejaculate.

"So what's the secret?"  Tom asked my cock.

I waited until he finally looked up at my face.  His cheeks and the tips of his ears were fiery red by then.  I stepped into his personal space. He cleared his throat noisily.  His entire face was one red blush but he didn't step back.

"I."  I pulled his head down.

"Love."  I leaned in, angled my head and brushed my lips close to his.

"You."  I sealed our lips together and threw my all into the kiss. 

Let me say the ship rocked. If I had been willing to share, the heat between the two of us would have powered the ship for a damn long time.

When the dazed pilot finally surfaced, he only asked one question, "Harry?"

With that one word, I knew what he wanted to ask, what he needed to hear and what he too, wanted to say.

"I know Tom.  You love me too."  I pushed him closer to the pool table. "I've loved you for so long.  It was hard to wait for you to finally stop running."  I tugged down his pants and pushed into the firm warmth there.  "I will always love you."

Clenching his fingers so tightly on my shoulders that I knew there would be a bruise later, Tom Paris sighed with relief and answered me, "Yes."

Our lips met again. 

It was quiet for a long time after that.

THE END

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