Disclaimer time once again!  Ninth 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 involves sex 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.  :)  

It's 95 damned degrees, now.  Temps will soon get the hell back 
into the 80's, where they belong, IMHO.  

This is actually a PWP sequel to my other PWP's, 'Ignition' and 
'Famished'.  Plot? Ha, couldn't be found with a microscope. :)

'Escalation' by Amirin



*************************************************


Harry tried to glare at Tom over the pool table, but it wasn't 
going well.  He couldn't keep the glare from becoming a *look*. 
One of those 'I want you naked and inside me in the next sixty 
seconds or I will fuck you where you stand' looks.  He sighed.  It 
had been a few weeks and they were no closer to being over 
each other.  Correction, they usually *were* all over each other, 
that was the problem.  Harry couldn't look at Tom's hands on his 
damned pool cue without remembering how those hands felt 
caressing his body into arousal, his cock into aching hardness. 
He'd take the man on the pool table, right now, if not for the fact 
that about twenty people were in Sandrine's with them, including 
B'Elanna and Chakotay.  And more of the crew were dropping in 
all the time.  

Tom saw Harry's face change from a glare to one of *those* 
looks.  Gods, his clothing ceased to fit every time it happened. 
They hadn't been able to burn each other out, yet.  Up, yes. 
Hell, yes.  But not out.  The more they got, the more they 
wanted.  Tom hadn't been so preoccupied with sex since he was 
a teenager.  He didn't know about Harry, but he was willing to 
bet it was just as bad for him.  The sex was incredible, yes. 
Beyond incredible.  Sometimes it felt like his cell structure was 
being rewritten, okay?  It was *that* incredible.  But, waking up 
with Harry next to him in the morning . . Gods, it did something 
to him he couldn't explain.  Seeing that beautiful face in repose, 
watching his chest move with even breathing.  Then, the 
moment when those eyes opened and looked right at him, went 
right through him. Sigh.

Tom was aware that he'd fallen in lust with Harry.  He knew lust 
when he felt it.  It felt a lot like Harry's hand wrapped around his 
cock.  It felt like Harry, in that final thrust into his body, as he 
came, screaming his name.  It felt like Harry's mouth on his. It 
*didn't* feel like he felt when he opened his eyes the morning 
after and saw Harry watching him sleep, soft smile crossing his 
features.  It didn't feel like the way Harry would work on his back 
after a long day spent at the conn, kissing him as he relaxed, 
hands gentle and strong on his skin.  It didn't feel like Harry 
making dinner for him when he forgot to eat.  Lust didn't feel like 
that.  He wasn't entirely sure what it was, but he had a sneaking 
suspicion.  He looked at Harry with all the tenderness and 
warmth his eyes could hold, and froze in mid-shot when Harry's 
eyes reflected it all back to him.  Harry saw Tom freeze and 
grinned.  So, it wasn't just sex, hmmm? Just sex.  Hell, what a 
totally inadequate phrase to describe what Tom did to him, with 
him, for him. His body craved it, constantly.  Wanted it, now.  
And no one had a clue.  Gods, what dolts.  How could anyone 
not notice the steam rising from both of them, the way the air 
turned electric every time they got within a few feet of one 
another?  The question now was how to get Tom to leave with 
him. Immediately.  Usually, a little innuendo was all that was 
needed.  Kind of fun, really, especially with everyone being 
oblivious.  He wondered how much fun it could be to be 
screamingly blatant about it.  It would let everyone know and 
drive Tom crazy at the same time.  Couldn't beat that.  The 
smile on his face changed to an evil grin, growing wider as 
Tom's eyes kept pace.

"You going to shoot, or just play with that thing?" Harry asked, 
clearly, not even bothering to look innocent about it.

Tom practically choked.  Damn, *that* was subtle.  He was 
distracted, big time, and blew his shot.  He stepped aside, 
letting Harry take position, frowning as he watched the man 
move to shoot from the side, when the right approach was 
head-on.

"Your position's a little off," he commented, carefully, wondering 
what the hell Harry was doing.

"I've never heard you complain, before," Harry replied, smirking, 
as he sank the shot.

Ah, so *that's* what he was up to.  This could be fun. 

"Oh, like I could say anything with your tongue down my throat," 
Tom shot back, pretending not to notice how B'Elanna almost 
spat her beer all over Chakotay.  He grinned when Harry missed 
his shot and moved forward to take his own.

B'Elanna spoke up, still coughing.  "Harry, have you two started 
a *relationship*?" she choked out, incredulously.

"What relationship?  I'm just using him for sex," Harry returned, 
slyly, trying not to laugh out loud when Tom damned near shot 
the cue ball off the table.

Tom glared at him and stepped aside as Harry took his place, 
readying his cue.

"Harry Kim, what has gotten into you?" B'Elanna asked, in 
stunned disbelief, looking at Paris when he waved.

"That would be me," Tom said, smirking when Harry scratched, 
sinking the cue ball.

Harry *looked* at him. Tom knew he was in big trouble.

"You are *not* a nice person," Harry said, sorrowfully shaking 
his head at Tom.

"Good thing I'm such a great fuck, then, huh?" Tom sassed 
back, almost cracking up at the sputtering sounds coming from 
Chakotay.  He glanced over to check on the Commander and 
missed Harry's antics until the wet bar-rag hit him square in the 
face.  "Oh, you are going to get it," Tom snarled at him, wiping 
his face on his sleeve.

"Yeah, *there's* a threat," Harry taunted, quickly going for a 
bottle of something incredibly wet and sprayable behind the bar, 
when Tom came after him. 

Tom backed off immediately, holding his hands up in surrender.
"Okay, Harry, I know when I'm licked."

"Who doesn't?  Your moans keep reconfiguring the sensor 
array."

Tom swallowed heavily, closing his eyes.  "Can we leave now?" 
he asked.

"You just want to have your wicked way with me," Harry 
retorted.

"If I *had* my way, Harry, your back would never see the light of 
day," Tom growled back, as Harry came slowly over to where he 
stood, making them nearly nose to nose.

"You want to go now?" Harry asked, huskily.

"Actually, I want to *come* now, but we should leave here first."

Harry whimpered quietly.  "Whose quarters?"

"Yours are closer."

"Race ya."

In minutes, they were in Harry's quarters, throwing off clothing 
as quickly as possible, before Tom picked Harry up and threw 
him on the bed.  He jumped on top of his lover before the first 
bounce was completed, fingers tangling desperately in 
night-black hair, gasping as Harry's sharp, white teeth bit into 
his neck.

Harry moaned as Tom sure hand found his hard cock.  "Gods, 
do you think we'll ever get tired of this?" he asked, mostly 
rhetorically.

"Bite your tongue, Harry," Tom groaned back as Harry's tongue 
found the curve of his ear.  "Wait, I have a better idea.  Let me 
do it for you."

Harry moaned as Tom's hand found an insistent rhythm, 
stroking him to madness.  Damn, the man knew exactly how to 
touch him, to make him want him, need him, more than he'd 
ever thought possible.  The fog cleared briefly when he heard 
what Tom was saying.

"You're taking me first.  I need you inside me, Harry, now," Tom 
ground out, as Harry's gentle fingers began caressing him, 
preparing him. The slight, teasing motions were making him 
squirm impatiently and he heard Harry chuckle.

"Dammit, lover, quit screwing around and fuck me, already," 
Tom growled, raising his head as the bed shook with Harry's 
laughter.

Harry found himself cracking up, unable to stop even when Tom 
glared at him.  "Damn, I love it when you're masterful," he 
managed to get out, before Tom flipped him over onto his back, 
pinning him to the mattress.

"Oh, you are going to it," Tom snarled at him. 

"You still seem to be under this odd impression that that's a 
threat," Harry laughed, as Tom tickled him in exasperation, 
nearly driving Harry off the bed as he tried to get away from 
him.

Tom halted as the look in Harry's eyes changed from playful, to 
. . well . . a *look*.  'Bout damned time.

Harry rolled away from Tom just long enough to grab the lube 
out of the drawer, before rolling back on top of his lover, pinning 
Tom's shoulders down with his knees.  He moaned as both of 
the man's hands came up to stroke his cock, before Tom took 
the lube from him and started slicking his shaft with it.  Harry 
brought his hands to his cock, as well, getting them slippery, 
before reaching behind him to caress Tom's hardness.  He 
moved backward, wiggling, and grinned at the moan coming 
from the man below him.  "You want to go first, huh?" Harry 
confirmed, as Tom nodded quickly.  "Too bad."

Tom didn't have enough time to process what Harry'd said 
before the man raised over him and came down, impaling 
himself on Tom, who suddenly found he was buried to the hilt 
inside his lover.  The resulting scream was *truly* impressive.

Harry waited for Tom to land again before moving up and down 
on him, grinding his ass into him with every downward surge. 
His fingers were busy playing with Tom's nipples, bringing them 
into hard peaks, as Tom watched him, thunderstruck and nearly 
silent, save for the occasional groan.  Harry tried to bring his 
hand around to stroke himself, but Tom knocked it away, 
recovering from the sudden shock.

"Don't even think about it," Tom ground out.  "Damned if you're 
going to bring yourself off.  I want you *in* me, Harry.  And 
you're not leaving until you give me what I want."

Harry swallowed sharply and sped up, while Tom thrust upward 
into his body, never ceasing the feathery touches on his aching 
cock.  One hard thrust from Tom met his equally hard downward 
stroke and they both moaned when they forcefully came 
together in the middle. It was good, but not enough.  Harry liked 
the control, loved it, even, but it couldn't match what Tom did to 
him; it wasn't even close.

"I want more. I *need* more. You give me what *I* want, I'll give 
you what *you* want," Harry bargained, in a rough voice, 
relieved when Tom nodded raggedly.

He slid off, both of them groaning when Tom slipped out of him, 
before he dropped to the mattress next to his lover.  He lay on 
his stomach for only an instant before Tom's hands were 
bringing him back onto his knees and elbows.  There was barely 
time to draw a breath and then, the exquisite sensation of Tom 
returning to where he belonged, deep inside Harry, his back 
arched into his lover.  Gods, this was it.  Exactly what he 
needed.  Fingers dug into his hips, holding on, as Tom thrust 
into him repeatedly, varying the speed and strength until Harry 
was practically sobbing.  

Tom leaned forward to rest his head on Harry's shoulder, licking 
the shoulderblade, then back along his spine.  His hand went 
into Harry's hair, bringing his neck back, before he started 
sucking on it, knowing, and not caring, that he was leaving 
marks. Harry was quivering under him, the vibrations only 
intensifying the arousal that was centered in his cock.  He 
pounded into Harry, the other man's groans coming 
continuously.  Tom was careful not to touch Harry's hardness, 
knowing that it would probably set him off too soon.  

Damn, nothing else ever felt this good.  Harry moved back into 
Tom with every thrust, groaning deeply as each stroke found its 
way home. He desperately wanted Tom to touch him, but 
understood why it wasn't going to happen. He'd rather come 
inside Tom's ass than in his hand.  The next thrust almost drove 
him into the mattress; they were coming a lot faster now, and 
harder. Perfect.

"Yes . . Tom . . oh gods, yes," he grated out, eyes tightly closed.

"Oh, baby, yes . . take it, that's it . . take it," Tom rasped back.

"Love you . . fuck me . . love you . . fuck me . ."

"So close . . yes . . *yes* . . oh, gods, *Harry* . ."

"Come . . baby . . yes, come . . oh, please . . "

"*Ahhh*, love . . yes . . coming . . coming . . "

"Tom, please . . *please* . . yes . ."

"Oh, *gods* . . oh, *yes* . . Oh, *Harry* . . *HARRY* . . Gods, 
*YES* . ."

The scream caught Harry by surprise, sound tearing through 
him as Tom's climax did, thrust after thrust filling him, until there 
was nothing left in Tom.  His lover's sudden dead weight 
brought them both to the mattress, and Harry struggled to get 
his arms out from under him, before turning over.

Tom was gasping, shivering until his lover's arms came around 
him. It didn't feel like there was enough air left in the room to fill 
his lungs with, as he settled into Harry's warmth, sighing when 
the covers were drawn over him. 

Harry wrapped himself around his lover, feeling protective and 
lustful at the same time, an interesting combination.  He moved 
off when Tom started shaking his head.

"Not done," Tom gasped.  "Need you in me. Harry, please. 
Can't wait . ."

Whatever else he was going to say dropped into a groan the 
moment gentle fingers found their way into his shuddering body, 
slicking the tight entrance.  A different kind of shuddering 
rippled through him, taking his breath away, when Harry moved 
him carefully onto his stomach, caressing his moans into sighs 
with strong, tender hands.  Harry watched the muscles beneath 
Tom's glowing skin shiver and contract under his hands, as he 
slowly stroked his lover into feverish desire.  Few things in the 
universe were more satisfying than reducing Tom Paris to a 
quivering wreck, he had to admit.  He couldn't keep the smile 
from his face as he brought his hands up the backs of Tom's 
thighs, then trailed down them with the fingertips.  He drew 
curlicues behind the knees and methodically massaged the calf 
muscles before returning to that perfect ass and going up Tom's 
back, kneading deeply.  Putty in his hands, Harry thought, 
before using those same hands to roll his lover's shoulders, 
then travel down each arm.

Tom sighed as the wonderfulness of it seeped into his body.  No 
one had ever made him feel so cared for, so loved.  Harry was 
amazing. 

"Gods, I love you," Tom murmured quietly, as the touches 
changed a little, becoming more insistent, more lingering.  He 
felt Harry shift position behind him, then exhaled a long, 
groaning breath as slick fingers penetrated his body.  He found 
himself moving backward into them, before his lover came 
between his legs, drawing him up onto his knees.  He rested on 
his elbows; the energy to support himself on his hands simply 
wasn't available.  

Tom threw his head back when Harry entered him, fingers 
digging into the sheets, before his head dropped and he 
moaned.  His legs started to tremble as Harry moved smoothly 
in and out of him, hands stroking his sides, up and down his 
back.  Fingers wrapped around his shoulders helped Harry hang 
on, thrusting into him with increasingly powerful strokes. 
Demandingly, his head was brought up and he found himself 
sucking Harry's tongue into his mouth, the other man groaning 
into the sweet warmth he found there.

Harry drew back and licked his way around Tom's neck, sinking 
his teeth gently into the back, behind one ear.  Tom's moan 
made his teeth vibrate and he grinned, moving himself rapidly in 
and out of the responsive body beneath him. He wasn't as vocal 
as Tom usually was, unless he was on the receiving end.  He 
simply couldn't be coherent when every tightening of Tom's 
beautiful body wrung another low groan out of him, raising his 
body temperature to levels hot enough to cook with.  

Another moan went through Tom as he clenched around Harry's 
hard cock, and was answered by his lover.  He knew how close 
the man was and also knew exactly what Harry looked like, right 
now.  Eyes closed, teeth gritted, face tight, head back, panting 
with the burning desire for fulfillment, right before his climax 
took him, sending him spiraling back into Tom's arms, as he 
crashed into awareness.  The vision made him groan.

Tom felt the shaking when Harry neared completion, heard the 
soft, gasping wail begin before being abruptly cut off, as Harry 
bucked into him. That same sound started again, in earnest, 
and Harry cried out Tom's name, before the explosion hit him, 
making him collapse across the strong back beneath him, 
utterly spent.  He slid off, bonelessly, and was in his lover's 
arms before he hit the mattress. 

Tom looked into exhausted eyes and grinned softly as he 
brought his hands up to stroke Harry's shoulders and neck, 
before pulling him into a gentle kiss.  He really liked this part, 
the quieting of their hearts, the tenderness in Harry's eyes, the 
easy, soothing touches as they brought each other back down, 
slowly.  He sighed in blissful contentment, closed eyes snapping 
open when Harry kissed the tip of his nose, and smiled.

"I didn't mean what I said earlier, about just using you for sex," 
Harry said quietly.  "I only said it to get a reaction, yours *and* 
B'Elanna's."

"I know," Tom assured him. "It stopped being just sex a while 
ago.  I don't know where the hell I was, when it happened . . " he 
trailed off, chuckling softly.

"Same here," Harry said, puzzled.  "I like it a lot more, now. 
Don't get me wrong," he hastened to explain, "I loved how it was 
when this started, too.  But we managed to keep all of the lust 
and passion and spontaneity intact, and added a whole new 
element to the mix."  Tom nodded, understanding perfectly.  "I 
like being in love with you just as much as I liked being in lust 
with you.  Damn, we're good together," he finished with a sigh, 
before Harry's mouth found his, soft, sweet warmth curling his 
toes as he groaned.

Harry leaned back, caressing Tom's cheek with a gentle hand. 
"Best friend," he sighed.

Tom grinned, smoothing raven-black hair away from Harry's 
dark eyes.

"Best love," he said, softly.

They looked at one another and smiled.

"Best of both worlds," they said, decisively, kissing and 
snuggling deeper into each other, before they drifted off to 
sleep.

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