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Disclaimer time once again!   Seventy-sixth verse same as 
the first . .everybody *sing*:

I don't own these characters, (chorus) Paramount does!
I don't own this venue, (chorus) Paramount does!
I am making no money off of this, (chorus) Paramount does 
not either!

This story will eventually involve love and sex and affection 
between two men, aka: slash.  If that is *not* your cup of 
tea, sweet as it is, then don't read it! (simple, ain't it??) 
Feedback is *very* much appreciated, and always 
answered.  Flames will be passed around to friends and 
chuckled over.  :)

Twenty-fourth story in the Stage Direction series.  Sequel to 
'Ssst', 'Growl', 'Chuckle', 'Sob', 'Grin', 'Sigh', 'Smile', 'Yawn', 
'Whisper', 'Groan', 'Hover', 'Waffle', 'Comfort', 'Fidget', 
'Grimace', 'Sizzle', 'Glare', 'Shrug', 'Doze', 'Snort', 'Whack', 
'Stretch', and 'Snicker'.

'Pace' by Amirin <groh@iquest.net>


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Fuck.  What the hell do I do, now?  I find I'm bracing myself 
to head into the galley and see how Neelix is doing, but part 
of me is dying to go pound some sense into those heartless 
bastards who just left.  Gods, how do I make this better? 
Assuming, of course, that I can.  *Shit*.

<pace>

Come on, Tom, *think*.

<snarl>

Stupid morons. 

<sigh>  <pace>

And you know what really, *really* hurts? Knowing that, 
once, I thought just like they do.  Completely unable to get 
past what the guy looked like while I wondered what the hell 
a doll like Kes was doing with *him*.  Damn, all it took to 
answer the question was seeing the light in her eyes during 
a shoreleave or two when she'd drag me through the shops 
and bazaars looking for things to buy for him.

<snort>  <grin>  <pace>

A lot of those clothes?  Yep, *her* idea.  Oh, his favorite 
colors, sure, but the more outlandish the pattern, the better 
she liked it.  And he wore them because it made her smile. 
Neelix didn't give a flying fuck what people thought about 
him as long as it made Kes happy. She went bonkers with 
the replicators, too.  Gods, how many credits did she charm 
out of *me* in order to create something for *him*?

<pause>

Wait a minute. I've still got something she bought for him, 
back in my quarters.  Hell, yes.  She sighed and told me 
wryly that she done it out of habit, but then found she 
couldn't give it to him. She was too afraid he might take it 
the wrong way and asked me to do it for her, birthday, Prixia, 
whatever.  What the hell did I do with it?

<turn>  <run>

Damn, I don't even know what it is.  She didn't say and I 
never opened the box to find out.

<whoosh>

Okay, where is it?  Shoved to the back of my closet, I think? 
Maybe?

<scrounge>  <dig>  <toss>

Ha!  Yes, here it is.  Still sealed shut.

<sigh>  <grin>

Well, it'll be a surprise for both of us, then, huh? 

<snort>  <whoosh>  <hurried walk>

All right, let's head to the mess hall a little slower this time. 
If I go in there breathless, Neelix will drag me back to 
Sickbay.  At least I'm not dizzy or anything.  Ahh, progress.

<clear throat>  <pause>

Oookay, here we are.  Damn, why am I so nervous about 
this?  Cool head, Tom, all right?  Shit, relax already.

<whoosh>

Dark.  Lights dimmed nearly all the way.  Not a good sign.

"Neelix?  Are you in here?" 

<silence>

<softly>  "Of course, Tom.  I'm here." 

Oh, shit.  Damn, I can hear the hurt in his voice.  Gods, this 
is *so* unfair.

"Why is it so dark in here? How can you possibly see 
anything?"  That's good, Tom, keep it light and cheerful. 
Hell, just do what you know Neelix would do.  The guy's the 
king of 'light and cheerful'.

<quietly>  "There's nothing to see."  <clear throat>  "A few of 
the crew came in while I was in the pantry and cleaned up 
for us.  Wasn't that nice of them?"

Oh, yeah, *real* nice.  The assholes.

"Umm, yeah.  I guess.  Sooo, what are you still doing here?" 

<sigh>  "I was waiting for you.  I knew you'd come.  And I, 
uh, didn't want to leave before you got here." 

<gentle smile>  "Thanks for waiting.  Sorry I took so long."

"That's quite all right, Tom."

Gods, his voice is so dead.  Shit, I *hate* this.

"I was looking for something.  For you, actually.  I meant to 
give it to you a long time ago, but I . . . well, I spaced it, to 
be honest."

<snort>  <hesitant smile>

Okay, that's a little better.  Now, how about a *real* smile?

"What is it?"

Uh, oh.  "You'll, um, have to open it to find out."  Ooo, nice 
save, there, Tom.  "Consider it a thank you.  You know.  For 
everything."

<pleased, soft smile>  "You didn't have to do anything like 
this.  Not that I don't appreciate it, mind you, because I do, 
but you didn't have to."

<break seal>  <shake open>

"Well, Neelix, actually, you know, the truth is . . ."

"Oh, my goodness!  Tom, it's *beautiful*."

<stunned look>  "Yeah, it is."  Wow, is it ever.  A long jacket, 
with muted ripples in varying shades of blue on a white and 
silver background.  It looks like rain on a lake in summertime 
and fabric has the sheen of silk.  Damn, Kes, this isn't like 
anything you ever got him before.  Kes?  Oh, hell, I've got to 
tell him . . .

<sniff>  "Tom, I don't know what to say.  *Thank* you.  So 
much. Oh, it's simply breathtaking."

He carefully takes the jacket out of the box and shakes it out 
and an actual paper note falls to the floor. He scoops it up 
and looks at it and I know I'm in deep shit, here, when he 
begins to read it out loud, his voice breaking as he looks up 
at me, tears in his eyes . . .

"For Neelix, in friendship and affection . . ."

Oh, fuck, here it comes . . .

" . . . From Tom."

<stunned look>

Wha . . .?


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