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“It’s got me by the hair!” Kathryn laughed as she attempted to untangle her hair from the vines sprouting from the alien plant that was sitting on her ready room desk. Chakotay watched her struggle until he heard the whooshing sound of the doors behind him, indicating that Tuvok had left the room, “Looks like you've got yourself in quite a dilemma there.” He smiled and tucked his pad beneath his arm before making his way towards the flustered captain. “I think I've almost got it.” She responded, hoping that he would stand down. He reached up to seize her hands in his own as her tugging and tearing increased “You’re going to make it worse.” He then dropped her hands and began to separate strands of her rusty colored hair from the plant’s vines.
“I’d have to say this is my least favorite of the gifts the Kinbori left us.” Kathryn grumbled, resting her hands on the edge of the desk for balance. She decided it best not to mention the sensitivity of her scalp, he would tease her about that for the rest of the journey home. Noticing her grip tighten on the edge of the desk, Chakotay frowned and tried to separate the pieces with a lighter hand for he didn't want to cause her any pain, not that she would ever admit any of her own physical pain in his presence, even if it was just something as simple as hair.
After several minutes of silence the last strand of hair was freed from the plants entrapment. “Finished” He mused. In the same moment, he straightened his stance and she turned to face him, their faces ending up inches away from each other. Their eyes caught and the corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk. Oh she hated that look. “Chakotay.” she sighed and tried desperately to find a place for her restless eyes to focus other than his face. She failed to do so and became lost in her mind, which had flooded with new thoughts and wishes, none of which a Captain in her position should have.
Chakotay, having been the first to snap back to reality, reached out to run his fingers through the side of her slightly matted hair, “Might want to run a comb through that, Captain.” he replied simply. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted “Captain to cargo bay two.” Tuvok’s voice rang out from her comm badge. She tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling as she pressed her index and middle finger against the badge. “Be right there.” she replied before she squeezed herself between Chakotay and the mysterious plant, stopping at the door clear her throat and stiffen her posture before exiting her ready room, not allowing herself to look back at Chakotay.