“Ah Captain, it’s good to have you back.”

“Thank you doctor, How’s Tom?”

“He’s– still missing.”

“You haven’t found him?”

“We have security teams searching for him, but after sweeping through most of his social circle he seems to have disappeared.”

“So he must have found what he was looking for.”

“It’s the only reason he’d have stopped. It’s going to be awkward when anything tomorrow.”

“I’ll say, I’ll alert all crew not to mention his behavior to him.”

Chakotay woke up on the floor of his cabin, he was naked, and entwined around him was a beautiful young pilot. Tom’s face was buried in his neck, his golden hair was hopelessly tosseled. “Tom?” He murmured. Tom stirred and turned in his arms. “Tom baby wake up.” Sleepy blue eyes opened and fixed on Chakotay. Instantly a brilliant smile graced his face.

“Mornin’”

“Good morning beautiful.”

Tom blushed at the compliment and tightened his arms around Chakotay.

“Tom?”

“Hmm?”

“What’s a ‘L’ysiala’?”

“Oh, um... that explains a lot. A L’ysiala is a– soulmate.”

“Yeah you see, my mom’s a Desjessian, when we reach a certain age the perfect one for mating, we enter a cycle in which we seek our L’ysiala. No one talks much about it, because the person never remembers anything that happened before they found their L’ysiala.”

“You don’t remember anything?”

“I remember feeling odd, and visiting the Doc, and then, I remember kissing you” He blushed dark red, “And— everything after that, but nothing in between.”

“Well then, it’ll stay a mystery, frankly I don’t care other than that it brought me you.”

“Hmm, you’re so sweet.”

“Am I being sappy?”

“A little, but it’s okay, I love you anyway, ’sides which, you’re sexy when you’re sappy, and when you’re commanding, and when you’re mystical, and when you’re angry, and....”

Chakotay chuckled, “I take it you find me – appealing.”

“Oh yeah,” Tom murmured, pressing against him.

“Hmm, feels like you’ve got a little problem there.”

“Yeah, wanna help me with it?”

“Of course, nothing will bother my Tommy when I can help it.”

“Hmm, I love you when you’re feeling all protective.”

Chakotay chuckled and pulled Tom to him. Bringing his mouth down to kiss him passionately.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Chakotay?”

“He’s a great man Harry, in addition to being obscenely gorgeous.

“Yeah but..... Chakotay? Don’t you two hate each other?”

“Not anymore.”

“One minute you can’t stand to be in the same room as each other, and the next you’re in love?”

“Basically. So,” deliberately changing the subject, “What did you do yesterday? Anything interesting?”

Tom glanced at his friend, who had a strange expression on his face. “Harry? Are you all right?”

The end