Trip Tucker had had enough.

Sure there were risks in this job. You don't venture where no man has gone before, explore new life and new civilisations without a fundamental acceptance and understanding of those risks. But GODDAMMIT!

Trip was frustrated as hell with Jonathan Archer, constantly putting his life on the line. Taking unnecessary chances, rolling the dice like he had a bottomless supply of lives…

He pushed himself away from the terminal where he was working and slammed his PADD into an Ensign's chest as he marched out of the engineering, a storm in his eyes and a furrow on his brow. Well, he was gonna let Cap'n Archer know exactly what he thought of his reckless, dumbass behaviour.

He took a deep breath to temper his simmering demeanour and pressed the entry button to Sickbay.

"Hey Phlox…"

"Ah! Greetings, Mr Tucker. And what can the medical profession do to assist you today?"

"I thought Cap'n Archer was here? You release him already?"

"It was only a minor concussion from the fall and a graze from the phaser pistol he managed to dodge. I saw no reason to keep him here and sent him to his quarters with orders to rest for the remainder of the day. Is there something wrong, Commander?"

"Nothing a good dose of common sense won't take care of, Doc. I'll leave you to your feedin' time. They're acting about as antsy as I feel."

"Mmmm. Very well. Good evening, Mr Tucker."

By the time, Trip had arrived at the door of Archer's quarters, he had worked himself up into a raging mass. He was sick to the neck of this bullcrap, sick and tired of Archer running head first into danger without thought for anyone else on this ship, without thought for him - his best friend for 8 years. Well, he was damn well gonna dole out a piece of his mind that Archer wouldn't forget in a hurry, even if he did bust him back to Ensign for insubordination!

He all but stabbed the chime.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Cap'n. Can I come in?"

Trip was so keyed up and ready to go a few rounds with Archer, before waiting for an affirmative response, he entered the code and strode over the threshold.

"Just a sec—. Dammit, Trip! What do you think you're doing?"

Trip opened his mouth to give Archer a dressing down but apparently the Captain was halfway there already. He was standing by his bed in the half-light of his cabin, his back to the door. Half turned to look over his shoulder at his intruding engineer, his hair was dishevelled and he was naked from the waist up, having pushed his uniform down to gather round his waist. His right arm was raised as he touched the side of his torso - his very attractive torso - about to check the tenderness there.

Trip wasn't ready for the onslaught of emotions that washed over him at the sight - the fear of loss mixed with the strong pulse of friendship mixing in his veins. He'd come here for a fight, ready to bounce Archer's skull off the nearest bulkhead in an effort to knock some sense into him, but now he wasn't sure what he was feeling. The emotions were jumbled, confused. He collected himself and reminded himself why he was here.

"You stupid son of a bitch…"

Archer frowned. "What did you say, Trip? What the hell's wrong with you? Barging into my quarters…"

Trip strode towards Archer standing less than a foot away from him. Jaw clenched. Hands flexing tensely by his side. "I am sick and tired of your bullshit, Cap'n."

"For God's sake, Trip. I'm just back from an away mission. I'm tired, I'm hungry and frankly in no mood for the theatrics of my Chief Engineer!" He brushed past him and made his way to the bathroom.

Trip spun round to follow him. "Tired, are ya? Hungry? Those are mild compared to the feelings I'm having right now. DAMMIT Cap'n. When are you gonna stop trying to be all things to all men and give the rest of us a shot? You're such an arrogant, egotistical—" Archer rounded on him before he could finish the sentence. Still keyed up from the mission, Trip's attitude was doing nothing less than riling it up again as it coursed through his veins. He grabbed his Chief Engineer by the upper arms and backed him up against the wall next to the door.

Trip knew his Captain was strong. But this was strength laced with something else. He leaned his bodyweight into the grip, his face inches from Trip's.

Through gritted teeth, he ground out, "I don't know what's gotten into you, Commander…."

Suddenly Archer became all too aware of their situation. Half-naked with Trip pinned against the wall of his quarters. His breath quickened. Archer could feel the muscles in Trip's arms flex beneath his iron grip. The angry fire in Trip's eyes had dissipated, only to be replaced by… something else...

Archer released his hold and took a sharp step back. "Get out, Trip." His tone was level and definitive.

But Trip was in no mood to back down. His anger swirled and eddied. He couldn't see where that emotion ended and the pulse of passion that had suddenly surfaced began. "No. Sir."

Archer turned his back and stepped away from Tucker. "That was an order. Commander." Punctuating his title to make the point. The last thing Archer needed was his Chief Engineer getting ideas that his feelings for him were more than platonic.

But it was too late. Trip Tucker may act cool and nonchalant about matters of the heart but he knew an emotional evasive manoeuvre when he saw it.

Now that he recognised the source of his anger, he allowed it to simmer beneath the surface. To hell with it…

He took the two steps he needed to bring himself behind Archer who spun round looking like he was about to land a punch to Trip's face, raising his right which Trip grabbed and pushed hard. Not expecting the move, Archer's legs hit the bedframe and he fell backwards. And much to his surprise, his Chief Engineer followed him onto the bed.

"What the hell—?!" Before Archer could even process what was happening, Trip grabbed both Archer's wrists and pinned them above his head, his bodyweight trapping him beneath.

Archer was struggling and despite the adrenaline, Trip had the advantage.

He brought his lips close to Archer's ear. "Do you know what it does to me every time you put your safety, your life, on the line?"

Archer stilled as Trip raised his head to look into his eyes. They were shining. Archer recognised the fear, the pain, the want, all struggling for dominance in Trip's expression. And realisation dawned as they warred within him too.

He raised his head without a second thought and captured Trip's lips with his own. Trip relaxed and sank into the moment. Archer took advantage of his loosening grip to push up and over, rolling Trip onto his back. Trip groaned as his lips parted under Archer's pressure. A muffled sound expelled as he murmured his name into Archer's mouth.

"Jon…"

They were both so close, the friction of their uniforms driving the frenzy.

Trip panted. "Oh God, Jon…"

Archer held his gaze, eyes locked on each other, mirroring the emotion they felt for each other. Emotion they had bottled for years, contained by the fear of jeopardising a friendship that mattered more to both of them than either man had realised. Unleashed by a moment in which one man realised he could never be complete on his own and the other acknowledging that he no longer wanted to be.

Archer's skin shining with sweat, beneath him the writhing body of his fully clothed Chief Engineer and best friend, the moments of their experiences together through the years merging to focus at this single point in time and space, where a deeply buried secret was finally revealed. Their climaxes hit hard, fast and unyielding. It felt like they would never end, having waited for so long to breach the surface of their friendship.

The stars streaked past in the vastness of space. Words were not needed. They lay side by side, hands exploring new territory. The destination was unknown, but they knew the journey would be together.