Title: The Perfect End
By: nancy
Pairing: Tucker/Reed
Fandom: Star Trek Enterprise
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Malcolm's had a really bad day. Trip makes it better.

***

What a hideously long day, Malcolm thought, walking down the hall. He automatically nodded to the crewmembers he passed, but was turned inward, contemplating the awful events of the day.

No one had died and no one had come close to dying, so that was a bonus. The ship hadn't been overrun with religious fanatics carrying built-in organic bombs, which was also a bonus. They hadn't even been shot at by hostile aliens or run into any anomalies. He snorted, flexing his hand and rubbing the thumb-pad to relieve the soreness.

No, the only reason that he was so aggravated was because he'd spent the entire day going through reports. He'd inventoried weapons. He'd gone over personnel reports. He'd planned out the schedule for the next two months. He'd done just about every administrative duty that he could possibly think of doing to be sure that the next run of emergencies would at least be well-stocked and staffed.

Shaking his head in dark amusement at the thought, he reached his quarters and went inside, instantly starting to undress. He was so tired that he just let the clothes lay where they fell. He'd been working for fourteen hours, pretty much without a break, and could barely see straight.

When he crawled into bed, Malcolm curled around Trip from behind. The other man stirred and muttered, "Where ya been?"

"Working," Malcolm answered through a yawn.

"Done?"

"And then some, yes."

"Good."

Malcolm smiled in the dark as Trip squirmed around and cuddled close. Already fast asleep, Malcolm counted to ten before the drool started on his chest and grinned, finally relaxing for the first time that day. It still rather astounded him that Trip wanted him, let alone wanted to be in a relationship with him.

What astounded him even more was that it had been going on for almost the entire duration of the mission to find the Xindi. Ever since he'd found himself in the unusual position of comforting Trip through his sister's death. He hadn't meant to reveal any of his attraction to the brilliant engineer, but it must have slipped out, because he'd been pounced on late one night when they'd been playing chess.

And he'd been pounced on regularly ever since.

Chuckling to himself at the thought, Malcolm yawned again and kissed the top of Trip's head, his fingers playing lightly over Trip's back and shoulder. His eyes closed and he just concentrated on the feel of his lover in his arms. It was the reason he found strength for anything, these days. Knowing that Trip cared for him deeply, perhaps even loved him, was the light at the end of the tunnel.

"Go t'sleep, Malcolm," Trip ordered sleepily.

Malcolm chuckled aloud, then, and replied, "I'm trying. Just a little wound up."

Trip's hand rubbed his stomach as he asked, more awake, "Everything okay?"

"Fine. Just a hideously long day."

"Mmm. Tell me about it."

Malcolm nodded agreement to Trip's agreement and fell silent until the hand that was caressing him, pinched him. He gasped and demanded, "What was that for?"

"I said, tell me about it."

"Oh. I thought you were just agreeing with me."

"No, stupid. Talk. Unwind. And do it fast so I can get back to sleep. I'm up early."

Grinning again, hearing the humor, Malcolm started talking about his day. And kept talking, unable to believe that so much really had gone wrong until he'd said it out loud. Personality conflicts on his staff, temper conflicts with the MACOs, both his and his staff's, missing supplies that indicated there might be a thief on board, and a lot more little stuff that he'd taken in stride during the day but were keeping him awake now that he was in bed.

While he talked, Trip continued to rub him in a quasi-massage, fingernails scratching lightly through his chest hair. It wasn't meant to arouse, and Malcolm took comfort from the touches. By the time he was only two-thirds done, the yawning was too much to deal with and he finished, "I think I'm ready to sleep now."

"Uh huh," Trip answered, yawning. "Tell me the rest later."

Malcolm nodded and shifted until Trip was on the bottom and hooked his leg over his lover's hip, pressing flush against him. "Thank you."

Rubbing his back, Trip answered, "No problem. It's what I'm here for. And when we're both not so wiped, I'll show you what else I'm here for."

"Promises, promises," Malcolm teased, yawning.

They fell silent and as sleep tugged him down into dreaming, Malcolm thought, What a perfect end to a bad day.

***