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MORNINGS AFTER
(PG-13)
Chakotay stood at the sink in Kathryn's spacious bathroom about to shave with her razor when in the mirror he saw her rise up out of the tub behind him. Sensing his eyes on her as she reached for a towel, Kathryn smiled to herself. "Maybe you'd better pay attention to what you're doing, Commander. You don't have time to go to sickbay before your shift." Wrapping the towel around herself she went to stand behind him. Rising on her toes she rested her chin on his shoulder and grinned at him in the mirror. "And I'd prefer you not bleed all over the carpet on the bridge." "Perhaps you should be more careful about popping up naked when I'm in possession of a sharp instrument." he countered as Kathryn worked her way in front of him to brush her teeth. "I do not POP," she said as she applied toothpaste to her brush. "What would you have me do? Bathe with my clothes on?" She began to brush her teeth and Chakotay sat on the side of the tub to wait. He really didn't mind Kathryn monopolizing the bathroom when he slept over. The intimacy of sharing the bathroom with her in the morning appealed to him, not to mention the show he got when she bent over to rinse and spit. Each time he enjoyed that little treat he blessed Starfleet for the perfect size of the towels. More than once he had wondered if Kathryn was aware of the peep show and finally concluded she probably was. He had been surprised with how comfortable she'd been with him from their very first night together. When Kathryn straightened up and reached for the hand towel to wipe her mouth, it was Chakotay's cue to kill the grin and take back his place at the sink. This day, however, he was caught. "Enjoying the view?" she asked then dropped the hand towel and moved toward the door. Chakotay answered without missing a beat. "Aye, aye, Captain!" A moment later the towel she'd worn sailed through the door landing on his head. "Woman! Are you determined to have me slit my throat?" he said with mock anger. Kathryn's laughter drifted in from the other room and he couldn't help but smile. As he shaved he wondered if it was pathetic that he derived so much pleasure from such simple things. Even though she was finally his, he still enjoyed little things like watching her brush her hair, or extend her pinkie when she turned the pages of a book. Just observing her doing everyday things gave him joy. Especially brushing her teeth. Kathryn stepped into the bathroom fully dressed, tugging at the sleeves of her jacket and smiled adoringly at him. "You missed a spot," she teased. Chakotay finished wiping the soap from his face then turned and pulled her into his arms, reminded of another simple pleasure. The way she smelled after her bath. "I just wanted to tell you something before I go," she said almost shyly. "I adore these mornings with you." Chakotay's heart swelled and his dimples made a grand appearance. He wasn't pathetic at all. He was just the luckiest man in the galaxy, and that was a damn fine thing to be.
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