Work Text:
What had once been a roaring bonfire had died down to a quiet crackle. A heap of glowing red coals lay in the fire pit, gently licked by lazy flames. All their friends had gone home, leaving the Janeway family alone by the fire.
Kathryn watched the hypnotic flicker of the dancing flames, distracted only when she felt someone press against her side. Looking down, she smiled at the sight of her oldest child's head settling on her shoulder. She absentmindedly raised a hand to stroke over the girl's long, dark hair.
Looking across the fire, her gaze settled on her husband. She admired the way the firelight danced across his face before her gaze dropped to his hands, curious about what he was doing. He appeared to have picked up some of the dry grass she had used as kindling and was absentmindedly braiding it together. Their son sat beside him, his eyes riveted on this process.
He scooted closer, his eyes never leaving his father's hands. He said something Kathryn couldn't hear. Chakotay looked down at the boy and smiled, handing him the small grass chain. Then he chose a few more of the dry blades, giving some of them to his son before showing him how to braid them into a rope.
Kathryn watched as two of her favourite people sat by the fire, their heads bowed toward each other and over their work. She admired her husband's small, proud smile. Her own smile tugged at the corner of her mouth at the boy's slight frown of concentration.
Chakotay met her gaze across the fire. They shared a long, meaningful look before he turned back to their work. Kathryn felt her heart swell to the point of bursting. She loved this man with every fibre of her being, and she loved their children no less fiercely. She could still hardly believe everything he had given her, but she knew one thing for sure. She wouldn't change anything for the world.