They had separate quarters, Kes' being on Deck 8 [#19 Twisted]. Neelix was able to enter Kes' quarters without her being present, as in [#143 Fury] when, about 57 days after Voyager was stranded in the Delta Quadrant, he entered her quarters and replicated a meal to leave for her, left soft music playing, left the table set for two, and left a padd with a message for her.

Kes assisted Neelix in the messhall and galley, such as arranging and putting out the flowers for the dining tables, and bringing and helping to prepare food from the airponics bay of which she had charge.

seven-layer Jimbalian fudge cake. [#19 Twisted]

Neelix called her "my dearest", "dearest", "sweetie" and other very affectionate names; and he also regularly cooked her favourites such as Jimbalian fudge cake.

Jimbalian fudge cake. [#63 Before and After]

[#23 Parturition]
Neelix and Kes regularly enjoyed romantic meals together.

Kes showed impatience with Neelix because he found it hard not to feel jealous at her spending time with other people and her quite innocent friendship with males. He hid his jealousy when Paris replicated Kes a locket for her second birthday [#19 Twisted].

She noticed Tom Paris developing romantic feelings for her but told Neelix there was nothing in it as far as she was concerned. However, the two men engaged in a food fight in the messhall over her [#23 Parturition].

[#23 Parturition]

[#23 Parturition]

Kes waited anxiously outside the briefing room while the staff, including Neelix and Paris, discussed the forthcoming away mission that Paris and Neelix were to carry out together. She collared Neelix as he left, wanting to know about what happened in the messhall, but Neelix insisted they will talk about it when he returns from the mission.

Neelix's and Paris' behaviour perplexed and frustrated Kes. She could not hide her agitation from the Doctor who at first puts her behaviour down to her skipping lunch! Doctor: "I'm sorry. It's in my program - I see something wrong, I must attempt to diagnose it." Kes: "There are some things you can't cure. Neelix and Tom Paris had a physical fight over me." Doctor: "How delightful." Kes: "Delightful?!" Doctor: "You should consider it a high compliment. Throughout history men have fought over the love of a woman. Why, I can quote you autopsy reports from duels as far back as 1538." Kes: "That's not funny." Doctor: "It's not meant to be. You've always been interested in autopsies." Kes: "Are all Talaxians this jealous?" Doctor: "I wouldn't know. I've only met one." Kes: "I love Neelix. Why can't he just accept that? His suspicions about Tom are completely unjustified." Doctor: "Are they? Lieutenant Paris' affection for you is obvious." Kes: "What do you mean?" Doctor: "I mean, he desires you." Kes: "That's not true. Tom and I enjoy each other's company. We're friends." Doctor: "Whenever you walk into the room his respiration increases, his pupils dilate and the colouration of his ears turns decidedly orange. Until I noticed the pattern I thought he was suffering from Tanzian 'flu. It's there for anyone to see, maybe not at the same diagnostic detail as I see it-" Kes: "Are you saying I didn't want to see it? Doctor: "You're only two years old. There may be a few things you don't know to look for in a man. In time you'll understand." Kes: "In my homeworld it's so much simpler. You choose a mate for life. There's no distrust, no jealousy, no envy, no betrayal." Doctor: "Mmm. Your world must have very dry literature." Kes: "I don't know how to handle something like this. What am I going to do?" Doctor: "You've done nothing to precipitate this state of affairs. You may not be able to do much to resolve it either. There are some things you can't cure."

the above pics are from [#23 Parturition]

Kes expected them to tear each other apart when they set off on an away mission together, and became more worried than angry when contact was lost with them. Kim visited Kes to try and reassure her. Kes: "Any word yet?" Kim: "We're doing everything possible. The transporter just doesn't want to work in that atmosphere. How are you doing?" Kes: "Oh, I'm alright. It's just that I was very angry with them a few hours ago." Kim: "You had every right to be." Kes: "And now they might both be dead. I'm sitting here, and I'm feeling guilty for some reason." Kim: "Guilty? Why?" Kes: "I don't know. I don't like it. And it's their fault. And I can't even tell them how angry I am at them, and I may never be able to tell them how angry I am at them. So it doesn't matter, does it?" Kim: "You know if there was any way to land that shuttle, Tom Paris got it down." Kes: "And no one has stronger survival skills than Neelix." Kim: "I'm sure they'll both be fine." Kes: "Unless they kill each other." Kim: "They're professionals." Kes: "They'd better be alright, because when I see them I'm personally going to tell them that I never intend to speak to either one of them again!"

the above pics are from [#23 Parturition]

[#23 Parturition]: Why is it Kim who visits Kes? And other questions.

[#23 Parturition]

Kes was surprised to find on their return that Neelix and Paris had become good friends - while temporarily stranded on a hostile planet and finding themselves having to care for an alien hatchling they bonded and talked out their problems.

[#23 Parturition]

About stardate 50348, [#52 Warlord], Kes broke up with Neelix; unknown to Neelix at the time, her body was being forcibly occupied by the neural pattern of murderous tyrant Tieran, but when Tieran's mind was driven from her body Kes did not alter the situation.

Behind-the-scenes: A scene was written for [#55 Fair Trade] in which Kes' and Neelix's romantic relationship was given closure, but the scene was cut due to time constraints. See the PERSONAL LOG entry for the dialogue in that scene.

Shortly before Kes left Voyager, [#70 The Gift], Neelix and she reminisced while sharing moon-ripened Talaxian champagne. Neelix surmised that the reason they broke up was because she hated his cooking! and she agreed!

[#70 The Gift]

After the events of [#143 Fury], Kes takes final leave of Voyager to return to Ocampa. Tuvok, Neelix and Janeway gather in the transporter room to see her leave. Neelix: "A few snacks for the journey home. You still like leola root?" Older Kes: "Thank you. What?" Neelix: "Just looking." Older Kes: "See anyone you know?" Neelix: "Only you." Janeway: "Goodbye, Kes." Older Kes: "Captain."