Moment
by Myu

Disclaimer: Everything associated with Star Trek: Voyager is owned by CBS/Paramount
Notes: "In spite of the innocence of the situation, the look that flashed across his face was anything but innocent" - written for Char as part of VAMB's Secret Ficlet Exchange 2007.  The first line is hers.  Part II was written in about half an hour on the day of the deadline because I got cold (/frozen) feet, but in the end I just sent the first part.
Rating: Probably not for a younger audience, so let's say 15/R

----

I

In spite of the innocence of the situation, the look that flashed across his face was anything but innocent. 
"What are you smirking at, Chakotay?" Kathryn asked suspiciously.
"Just wondering what the crew would say if they knew you were tying my tie for me."
"I'd be careful with those remarks if I were you.  Don't forget that I'm tying this around your neck."
"What would the Ambassador say if Voyager's first officer was murdered on the night of his reception?"
Kathryn gave him a wry smile and continued fussing with the ends of the tie, trying to remember what came next.  Chakotay stared into the mirror behind her.
"Hold on, Kathryn.  Your dress isn't fully zipped up at the back."
"Oh - would you mind...?"
She looked over her shoulder just as he leaned forward and stretched his arm around her to reach her back.  In doing so their faces almost collided and she felt the warmth of his skin near hers.  The breath she released was shaky and as his fingers patted around the back seam of the dress her shoulders shuddered slightly.  She closed her eyes and felt him tug gently upwards on the zip, tightening the dress around her ribcage and enclosing the swelling in her chest in a sheath of fabric and thread.  No sooner had the dress been fastened securely than she realised not only that she wanted to be out of it, but that Chakotay hadn't drawn back.
Kathryn held fast onto the tie and didn't flinch when she turned her head sharply and found his lips squarely on hers.  The top of the restricting zip dug into her back as she was pressed against the bulkhead beside the mirror, but she paid it no mind.  She threw the tie to one side and urgently caressed every part of him that she could reach.  His hands were on her hips now, squeezing slightly as he eased folds of the dress upwards through his fingers.  The skirt rose higher and higher up her legs and she whimpered into his mouth, pulling at the top of his trousers with trembling fingertips.
Soon enough his hands were underneath her, lifting her upwards and then...she was ready to scream with anticipation, her fingers were clawing his back, a split second was far too long to wait for this - something she had wanted for years - and then...and then...

"That's it."
Kathryn's eyes opened in an instant and she blinked rapidly.  Chakotay was standing in front of her, the hem of her dress skimmed the tops of her shoes and she still clutched his tie in her fists.
"What?" She asked breathlessly, trying desperately to retain some sense of bearing.
"Your zip.  I fastened it."
"Oh - thank you...sorry, I wasn't concentrating."
"So I see.  Well, daydreaming is innocent enough."
"Hrm..." Kathryn swallowed thickly, focusing on the tie and hoping he wouldn't notice her shaking fingers or the pinkish flush spreading across her cheeks. 
"Thanks," Chakotay patted the finished tie knot a moment later, "You'll probably have to help me take it off at the end of the night, too."
Kathryn almost dropped her stole and felt the colour heighten in her cheeks.  It was going to be a very long night.

~~~~~~~~~~

II

In spite of the innocence of the situation, the look that flashed across his face was anything but innocent.  He hadn't meant to let his thoughts manifest themselves as an expression, not in the slightest...
He couldn't help it.  An occasion with a formal dress code was rare on Voyager and Chakotay felt that he had perhaps left some of his inhibitions back in his quarters with his uniform.  Kathryn seemed more nervous than he was and kept badgering him with questions as they made their way to the Messhall.
"No, really - the dress isn't...inappropriate?", she had asked him in the turbolift, turning a little to the side.  He looked, relishing the chance to take in her appearance from head to toe without fear of reproach, and then it had happened - that smirk crossed his face.
At that point the pull he felt in his stomach was accompanied by a real jolt of the turbolift coming to an abrupt halt.  Kathryn stumbled into one of the bulkheads, but regained her balance almost immediately and hammered the control panel next to the door.
"Damn!  What's going on?" 
Chakotay didn't answer, choosing instead to call Engineering over the com system and explain what had happened.  After being reassured that the problem would be solved shortly, he closed the com channel and looked at Kathryn.  She swore loudly and began to pace back and forth.
"Calm down, Kathryn.  It'll be fixed soon and we'll arrive just in time."
"We'd better," She answered darkly, brushing an invisible speck of dust off the front of her dress.
Chakotay leaned against the side of the turbolift and closed his eyes.  As he centred his thoughts the padding footsteps and rustling of her dress began to fade into the background, but then all of a sudden her voice broke through the comforting silence:
"Does my hair look all right?"
He opened his eyes reluctantly and glowered across at her.  She stared back, her eyes betraying the anxiety hidden beneath her disgruntled expression.  He sighed and moved forward to her side, intending to brush back the stray tendril of hair that had escaped when the lift stopped.  Their eyes met as he was trying to tuck the thin lock of hair back into place and, just as he couldn't control his expression before, his fingers moved of their own accord and crept to the back of her head, pulling the clip away.  Kathryn's eyes widened only very slightly as her hair fell down around her face and Chakotay's hand travelled slowly down the auburn waves and over her neck until he tilted her chin upwards and held his lips poised above hers.  He felt her fingertips touch his jaw and he touched his lips to hers lightly.  Her hands began to work down towards his shoulders and he deepened the kiss in response.  Even the tremble that slipped through his nerves seemed unhurried and he pulled her downwards gently, the fabric of her dress pooling around them as they reached the floor after an eternity of muttered desires and whispering caresses.  His palms skimmed over the ridges of her spine and ribcage and her body shivered underneath him, her back arching to meet -

"- Finally!"
Chakotay lost his balance and fell over, landing hard on his knees.  He blinked and was puzzled to see Kathryn standing over him, her hair tied back tightly.
"Are you all right?"
"What happened?" He exclaimed, looking around wildly.
"The turbolift started moving again and you fell down," Kathryn answered, bemused, "I think you were in a bit of a daze."
Chakotay coughed loudly and scrambled to his feet, crashing into Kathryn in the process and almost pinning her to the bulkhead.  She shook off his apologies and patted her hair gingerly.
"Does my hair look -"
"It's fine," Chakotay cut in hastily without looking.  It was going to be a long night.

- End -

Additional notes: Char mentioned that she liked smut and so I decided to try and write something at least vaguely in line with her preferences...it's probably not something I'll try again in a hurry, but it was nevertheless a challenge and a change from the usual gloom and doom.  Char wrote that she liked it, so I won't delete it (yet) :-).