Box Of Kisses
By Coral Leane

Disclaimer: Hi, Paramount. Coral here. Ever considered letting us at least use our imaginations? Don't worry... I won't break them any more than you do.

Dedication: To Tara, who wanted my fluff; and for Bec.

Kathryn Janeway sighed and rubbed a hand over her weary eyes as the doorbell to her ready room chimed, signalling that someone wanted admittance. Placing down the PADD she'd been attempting to focus on, she took a sip from the coffee cup she was holding in her other hand before calling, "Come."
The sturdy doors swept open to admit her First Officer and friend, Chakotay. In his hands he bore an intricately carved box. She stared at it curiously, the tiredness seeming to evaporate a little as he walked in and placed the box on the desk. Picking up the PADD, he deactivated it.
"You do remember what day it is?" he asked, a hint of severity that may or may not have been intended humorously in his tone. He pointed the PADD at her. "You did say you'd attend Neelix's party tonight."
She looked at him blankly. "I did? What day is it?"
"The 14th, Kathryn. Valentine's Day," he clarified with a smile that turned his dimples on full force.
Kathryn groaned. "I was looking forward to sleeping as soon as I had these reports done," she protested weakly.
Her First Officer didn't buy it for an instant. "You were planning to work all night, you mean." He shook his head, and picked all the PADD's off the desk, collecting them in a bundle in his hand. "Kathryn, I want you to come to the dance with me. Please? We can forget work for an hour or so, and then you can sleep."
Kathryn buried her head in her hands. Chakotay pulled a chair over in front of the desk and sat down on it so that his face was level with hers. "If you accompany me to the dance, could you at least accept a present?"
The words "protocol" and "parameters" flitted through Janeway's brain briefly, but found no place to stay. "I suppose." She glanced at the box. "It's very pretty." He pushed the box closer to her, and she ran one finger along the intricate carving of monkeys and trees and... "This is New Earth, isn't it?" she asked as recognition dawned.
Chakotay nodded. "I started carving it whilst we were there. I've been working on it ever since."
"It's.. it's breathtaking," she said, and she meant it. "Is there anything inside?"
"Why don't you open it, and see?" he suggested with a hint of a grin. He noted with a feeling of gratitude that some of the cloud of tiredness and burden of work had lifted as she instead became involved in opening the pretty box. He loved watching her when she was engrossed in something else; he could take the time to admire her delicate hands and pretty face. The expression of concentration she wore was one of the sweetest things he had ever seen.
Eventually the small metal clasp sprung open, and she lifted the lid to peer inside. The four walls and bottom were covered in purple silk of a midnight hue, and strands of interwoven silver thread made it seem to glitter and sparkle as she turned it this way and that, admiring it.
"It's beautiful, Chakotay," she commented.
"There's something special inside it."
She looked at him. "I don't see anything in it," she said, after turning it over again in her hands, taking a moment to run her fingers over the carving of their shelter on New Earth, behind which the sun was rising.
"It's not anything you can see, Kathryn."
"Then what is it?!" she asked, frustrated.
He took one of her hands in his. "It's a box of kisses, Kathryn. For you." "A what?" she asked in surprise.
"A box of kisses," he repeated softly. "Whenever you're upset, or lonely, or feeling as if everything is too much for you, you can open the box, take one out - and remember that I love you."
"Oh, Chakotay..." Kathryn sighed, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "I don't have anything to give you."
"Kathryn, you give me peace. You always have. I couldn't ask for more than that." Still clasping her hand in his, Chakotay leant forward and gently brushed his lips to hers, kissing her lightly. To her own surprise, Kathryn felt herself kissing him back with a need that she never realised she had. A need that scared her.
She broke the kiss abruptly, pulling away from him and mumbling something. She tried to look nonchalant, brushing her hair absently back out of her face and trying to ignore the hurt and confused look on Chakotay's face.
"It's a little too much too soon," she stammered, wishing she could at least act like the mature woman she was, rather than a teenage girl after her first kiss.
"We can go as slowly as you want," Chakotay said. "Just remember, I'm here for you." He squeezed her hand gently in a gesture of support, then released it as he got to his feet.
He turned as if to leave, but Kathryn called to him. "Wait." "Kathryn, I think it would be best if..."
Kathryn stood, placing the box gently on the table. "If I'm not mistaken, you said something about Neelix's party?" She walked around the desk and up to the Ready Room door. "I assume you are still coming?" she asked, with a sparkle in her eye.
He smiled back and took her arm, and they left the Ready Room hand in hand; heart in heart.

=/\=End=/\=