Disclaimer: They, meaning Paramount own the good stuff. I, meaning Mindy, own the idea and the thesaurus. "Xylograph" is another word "wood engraving".
Kathryn sat on his couch, watching the stars go by. They had been going through crew evaluations, when both noted that they needed to take a break. Chakotay had decided on a shower; a good old fashioned one with water instead of the sonic.
"Take as long as you want," Kathryn had yelled, so she could be heard in his bedroom. She’d been sitting behind his desk as they worked on reports. It wasn’t as comfy nor as orderly as hers, but it was tolerable. She pressed back the urge to tidy up his quarters, though they weren’t too dirty.
She heard the bathroom door shut and the water start. Needing to stretch her legs, she got up and began walking around his quarters, noting all the different items. A lot of items reflected his heritage and his beliefs. Kathryn smiled to herself as she saw some of the items.
Spying some paper, she picked it up and read the first few lines, curious as to what Chakotay would write, especially in such an ancient form of communications. She gave up after a few paragraphs, noting it looked like nothing more then a bad attempt at writing. Truth was, she hadn’t paid that much attention to the words, but at the elegant handwriting Chakotay had. That surprised her, considering all the men she knew had handwriting that one could barely read.
Then her eyes were drawn to a piece of wood, on the shelf above the one with the papers. Curiosity having the better of her, she picked up the wood and gasped at was on it.
The wood had been sanded smooth for a working surface. On it, delicate lines had been drawn on it, outlining a portrait very familiar to her. It was partially done, engraved with the tools that no one took the time to learn anymore. Running a finger over it, she could see the time and devotion he had put into the design. The emotion on the face, the look of the movement beneath the skin, all caught within a single image.
"Oh, Chakotay. What am I going to do with you?" she said, smiling, tears filling her eyes. Carefully, she put the wood engraving back on shelf where she had found it and went to sit over on his couch. Kathryn thought about that wood and realized something.
Everything Chakotay did, seemed somehow to get back to her, or more importantly, was for her.
"Kathryn?"
She shook her head, then looked up to Chakotay. Kathryn gave him a sheepish grin. "Sorry. I was thinking."
"It was obvious. What were you thinking of?"
"Well, I was thinking of someone. How he always puts me and what I need before what he needs. How he always is supporting me, even when he doesn’t think what I’m doing is right. How he manages to keep me off guard with the little things he does. How he keeps me guessing."
"Hmm. Do I know him, because he seems to know you better then me."
"You might. He’s tall, mystic, handsome. My best friend and confidant."
Chakotay smiled as he sat beside her on the couch. "So, where have you been hiding him?" He couldn’t keep the humor from his voice.
"You know him. Better then you know me. Though I think he knows me better then I know myself."
Chakotay smiled big then, bringing the dimples out full force. "Lord, Kathryn, if you don’t stop, you’re going to be talking in riddles in a minute." She rolled her eyes, then set her head on her fist.
"Well, if you’re tired, we can finish these evaluations tomorrow night," Kathryn said, making to rise from the couch.
"Actually, yes. I am kind of tired. It’s not as if we have to turn these evaluations into Starfleet headquarters." Kathryn rose and Chakotay followed her.
At the door, Kathryn stopped and looked up at Chakotay. "Well, I’ll see you on the bridge at 0800." She was about to leave when she stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite." She left behind a bewildered first officer in her wake. His hand went up to unconsciously touch the spot her lips had been.
"I’ll never figure you out, Kathryn," he said, then went over and picked up a piece of wood from a shelf. Sitting down at his desk, he pulled out his engraving tool and began working on the picture.
**
The next night, Kathryn was somewhat in a melancholy mood. She was quiet as they ate again in his quarters. They began working on evaluations and hours later, Chakotay excused himself again. Kathryn sighed and again, found herself on his couch. Her eyes drifted to the shelf and she noticed that the wood was no longer on the shelf.
Her eyes drifted to the stars and Kathryn allowed her mind to go blank. She was so lost in the nothingness of her mind, she didn’t hear Chakotay up behind her.
"You still here?" he asked. As the night before, he sat down beside her. She noticed he had a box in his hand.
"I think so." She shook her head. "I guess I’ve been distracted.
"This will probably distract you more, then." He offered her the box, which she took hesitantly.
"I. . ." she began. He put his fingers over her lips.
"Don’t, Kathryn." She opened the box and pulled out the wood she had found the night before. Where last night it hadn’t been complete, tonight it sat finished in her hands. "This is how I think of you."
"I don’t know what to say. I’ve never seen anything, anything this exquisite. It’s like you captured more then my face, but that you captured my soul."
"I hope so," he said quietly, watching her face carefully.
She looked up and smiled at him. "Again, Chakotay, you’ve managed to surprise me."
He smiled then. "Always keep ‘em guessing." His eyes searched out hers. "The goal is to catch the soul of the subject, just like you said. That, as an artist, is the hardest to do. The artist has a tendency to color their work with their own interpretation and feelings. To be true to the subject, you have to put your own bias aside and look beyond the outside."
"You did," Kathryn said, reaching up with her hand to cup his cheek. "You have." She leaned over and kissed him gently on his lips.
"Kathryn?" he said when she had pulled back.
"This," she picked up the engraving, "is one of the reasons I love you." She watched his face. "Don’t look so surprised, Chakotay. As I once told you, as captain, some things I can keep to myself."
"Shouldn’t we talk about this?" Chakotay asked. Kathryn put the xylograph aside and leaned back against his couch.
"I think we can discuss that over breakfast."
"Kathryn?" he asked.
"I promise not to get crumbs in your bed," Kathryn said, crooked grin crossing her face.
**finis**