Her tone wasn't helping his own irritation at all, and neither was the fact that they were having this conversation on the deck of the Voyager where his crew might overhear him being berated by a twenty-two year old woman. His cheeks flushed and he took a step back — maybe because he wanted a little more distance between them, or maybe because he wanted to reach out and put his hand on one of the bollards protruding from the deck of the Voyager, as though he could draw whatever he needed to get through this conversation from the ship beneath him.

"You're supposed to just listen for once," he shot back, which wasn't what he'd meant to say at all. He regretted it immediately, particularly the for once bit, and it showed on his face. He bit his lower lip and he looked at her as though he was a little afraid of how she would react.