Star Trek Imagines (Reader-Inserts) Part One

Voy. Tom Paris (platonic) - Different

A/N: Gender neutral, demisexual reader

As you approached Tom's quarters, you hesitated to ring his doorbell. He had told you over and over again that you could go to him for anything and talk to him about anything that was on your mind. But that usually just involved stress about work and being stuck in the Delta Quadrant, not you worrying about your sexuality. Tom was like an older brother to you—the two of you just clicked when Voyager's mission had started, and you'd been close ever since. You knew he loved you and would do his best to help you, but how could he help you when you didn't even know what help you needed?

Taking in a deep breath, you rang the bell and bit your lip.

"Come in," Tom called out.

You opened his door and stepped inside, seeing him sitting at his desk, reading a PADD.

He looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Hey, Y/N. What's up?"

You moved to his couch. "There's just been something on my mind for a while and I want to talk about it with someone."

His brow furrowed slightly. "Everything okay?"

You shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know."

Tom went and sat beside you. "What's on your mind?"

You shifted so you were facing him more, but you averted your gaze. "I just feel... different."

"Different?"

"Than everyone else," you clarified.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

You shrugged slightly. "I... I don't feel like how other people feel... in terms of relationships and intimacy."

Tom looked confused. "I'm not sure I understand."

You sighed slowly. "I don't know if I do, either," you admitted. "I just... You know how when you meet a cute girl your first thoughts are that you'd love to kiss her or something?"

Tom cleared his throat slightly. "Well, maybe not my first thoughts, but yeah?"

"I never feel that way," you told him, finally looking up at him. "I never feel the need or want to be intimate with someone I just met."

"Well that's fine, isn't it? Not everyone feels comfortable with that."

"No, it isn't that I'm not comfortable with it, it's that the thought of kissing someone or having sex with someone I'm not close with... it doesn't interest me at all. It makes me feel really weird and sometimes repulsed." You shook your head slightly. "I've never had sexual attraction to anyone unless I was already really close to them."

Tom nodded slightly, trying to understand what you were saying. "Okay, let me see if I understand this right: you only ever want to be intimate with someone if you have, what, a strong connection with them?"

"Yes, exactly. I looked at some data about human sexuality terminology from the twenty-first century. It's called demisexual," you said, already feeling better now that you finally told someone.

"That doesn't sound like a bad thing, Y/N," he told you gently. "Why are you so worked up about this?"

You shrugged and shook your head. "I don't know. I guess it just feels weird knowing that so many people don't feel this way. Some days I can't help but wonder if there's something wrong with me."

"Y/N," he said as he took your hands. "Nothing's wrong with you. So you feel sexual attraction differently than some people, so what? You're still the amazing, talented, kind Y/N that I and so many others love."

You smiled slightly. "What if... what if I meet someone I like but they don't want to wait around for my sexual interest to finally show up?"

"Then they're not the right person for you," Tom replied instantly. "You deserve patience and understanding, and anyone who isn't willing to give that to you doesn't deserve your time or effort."

Your smiled widened. "Thanks, Tom."

He opened his arms and you went into them, wrapping your arms around his torso.

"You're perfect just the way you are," he murmured, rubbing your back slowly.