Chapter Text
He programmed himself to reactivate exactly eight hours after they finished last night, and when he opens his eyes, still supine in her bed, he automatically blurts, “Please state the-”
Right. That was a faux pas, but we can get past it. “Sorry, Seven,” he continues. “Old habits die hard.”
Hearing no response, he turns his head and sees that the other half of the bed is empty. Maybe she’s just in the bathroom… He pads into the bathroom, the door standing open, but there’s no one there.
Of course. Breakfast. He adjusts his holomatrix back to the Starfleet uniform – don’t want to give the neighbors a show – and then steps into the kitchen. “Romantic of you to make breakfast, but I remind you that I don’t need to-“
He stops in his tracks. No one in the kitchen, either. “Seven? Are you home?”
Silence.
He taps his comm badge and says, “Computer, locate Seven of Nine.”
“Seven of Nine is in her office.”
He has half a mind to go speak to her right now, but that will just embarrass both of them, not to mention get him removed from the Institute. He beams back to Starfleet Medical; long day ahead, might as well get started now.
That evening, after he’s completed his research that day and informed his assistants that if they’re going to sing, they should at least try to stay in tune and on beat, he sits down at the comm station in his quarters. Better get this over with. He comms Seven, and she has a slightly perplexed expression on her face when she sees him.
“Doctor. I had not expected to hear from you.”
“It’s customary to have a chat after a date.”
Seven’s confusion deepens. “I was not aware that this was a date, Doctor.”
Now he’s the one who’s befuddled. “Then… what would you call it?”
“A useful data point,” she replies smoothly. “I have determined that humans place far too much importance on copulation.”
“What do you mean?”
“As Mr. Paris would say, it is… ‘overhyped.’” She takes a moment to study him. “I am sorry, Doctor. I can see that I have upset you. I assure you it was not any deficiency on your part. I did not enjoy copulating with Chakotay, and I thought perhaps it would be different with you, but it was not. I have learned that I simply do not enjoy copulation, and I do not wish to do it again, with anyone.”
“I see,” he sighs. “Seven, as always, I appreciate your honesty.”
“I appreciate your understanding, Doctor. I hope that we can remain friends.”
“As do I, Seven. I still have a great deal of work to do tonight. Will you be at the Voyager reunion next month?”
“Yes.”
“I look forward to seeing you then. Doctor out.”
Asexuality has been recognized for hundreds of years, he reminds himself. And if you didn’t realize Seven was asexual, that’s your own fault. You are a doctor, after all. Besides, it’s not as if anything you could’ve done would change the situation. It’s not a rejection of you.
So why does it feel like that?