Let It Be Said

Wrote this awhile back on AO3 and finally got around to posting it here. Hope you all enjoy!

Pairing: Malcolm/Trip

Rating: General Audiences

Additional Notes: Slash, First Kiss, Dancing, takes place during Enterprise episode "Two Days and Two Nights," AU

Let It Be Said
"Well, the Vulcan database said no one leaves this club unhappy," Trip told Malcolm, leaning back his chair casually. Malcolm turned his head to look at the Southerner, a small trace of a frown flickering across his face. No one leaves this club unhappy? Malcolm's mind whirred as he thought this over. He was enjoying himself, in spite of the false pretense that he wanted to get hammered and hook up with a girl for a night or two. The Brit licked his lips thoughtfully. He could do it right now, if he wanted. Blame it on the alcohol. But was it really worth risking his friendship with Trip? More likely than not they would end up leaving the club very, very unhappy if Malcolm gave into his temptations.

"Mal, ya okay?" Trip placed a hand on his troubled friend's shoulder. "Ya hardly said a word in the past hour or two."

"Trip," Malcolm started, his voice steady yet quiet, "if you were in love with someone and wanted to show it, what would you do?"

Trip gave him an odd look. "What're ya talkin' 'bout?"

"If you were in love with someone and you wanted to show to them that you did, what would you do?"

Trip huffed as he thought. "Well, that depends on the person. Everybody's different, ya know? No reaction's gonna be the same with every person. Hell, I should know! Natalie almost bashed my teeth in the first time I tried to kiss her. Second time thankfully didn't involve a trip to the hospital for stitches." Malcolm nodded silently, looking away. Trip frowned. "Why're ya askin' me this anyway? Gotcher eye on someone?" Then the engineer grinned mischievously at his friend. "Is it T'Pol and her 'nice bum?'"

Malcolm looked back at Trip. The light hit the Southerner's face perfectly, lighting up his already bright blue eyes. His golden hair shined softly, in literal sync with the rest of his beautifully toned body. Malcolm reached out and brushed the back of his hand against the side of Trip's smooth cheek, letting said hand trail down to his chin.

"Mal?"

Without a single word of reply, Malcolm leaned in and pressed his lips lightly against Trip's. The engineer's soft lips felt warm and slightly rough against Malcolm's. The armoury officer tensed a bit as he waited for the inevitable. It didn't come. If anything, it felt like Trip was kissing him back. This was confirmed when the blonde opened his mouth slightly to push his tongue between Malcolm's lips. The Brit let him in with a hum of pleasure, snaking an arm around the back of engineer's shoulders in order to deepen the kiss even further.

It ended all too soon. Trip pulled his lips away and pressed his forehead gently against Malcolm's. "Trip." It almost came out in a whisper. Malcolm's fingers had tangled with the engineer's shirt at some point in the kiss. He moved one hand up to brush Trip's cheekbone. "I... w... w-why did you do that?"

Trip's slid his arms around Malcolm's waist. "Cuz I like ya. Mal, do ya even wanna know how long I've been hopin' for this? I've wanted to kiss ya since the Cap'n, Hoshi, and I surprised ya for your birthday. I wanted to do it on the shuttlepod, when we both thought we were gonna die as beard-sicles. And I really, really wanted to do it tonight."

"But...?"

"Didn't wanna lose ya," Trip murmured, nuzzling the smaller man's nose. "You're my friend. I didn't wanna risk losin' ya... And I spent so long tryin' to getcha outta your shell... I didn't want... I didn't want ya to get scared and start hidin' the real you again. I'm sorry I didn't realise how ya felt sooner."

Malcolm hummed softly. "Don't beat yourself up, Trip. We know now. That's what matters. And you know what?"

"What?"

Malcolm smirked as he pulled Trip out of his chair. "I intend to take full advantage of that... if you're willing." He captured Trip's lips with his own once more, not paying any mind to the patrons who were naturally watching with intense curiosity. When Malcolm pulled away, he asked, "Shall we dance, my love?" A slow, romantic song happened to be playing at the moment. Trip grinned in amusement. The Risans had pretty good tastes in music. And what better way to appreciate said music than to dance the night away with the man he fell in love with and vice versa?

"Hell yeah."

Let it be said no one ever leaves that club unhappy.

~Fin~