Day Three - #8 –Quinn & Bobby

Prompt: Intoxication

Thump! Scrrrrraaaaape .... Quinn looked up from her book at the sound at the door to her quarters. "What in the—"

She got up to investigate, pulling her robe tightly around her.

"Come!" she said to the door. It slid open at her command, and a heap that must have been leaning against it fell into the room. The heap was chuckling as it rolled over, revealing a face.

"Mr. Charles!" Quinn said sharply, pulling the robe tighter and stepping back to put more distance between them. "What is the meaning—"

He cut her off, his chuckles having turned to guffaws.

"Mr. Charles!" When he didn't reply with anything more than continued laughter, she said, "I'm calling security."

She turned to slap the comm button on the wall.

"Wait!" Bobby said, grabbing her ankle. She kicked his hand away and backed up again.

"Mr. Charles," she said, trying with everything in her to keep a calm facade, "you have about five micro-ticks to explain what you are doing on this deck and why you are in a puddle on the floor of my quarters!"

Her hand hovered over the comm button, and even she wasn't certain why she hadn't called for Chick yet. Something about Bobby Charles was ... off.

"I'm so so so sssssssorrrrry ...." he slurred. "I got jus' a liiiiiiiiiiddle bit losted-ed? Er ... losted."

"It's not that big a ship," she said. And then, "You're drunk!"

He tried to drag himself up into a less puddled position and failed. "Jus' a liiiiiiiiddle bit. I'm loster than drunk-er ... er."

Quinn slapped the comm button. "Chick. My quarters. Now, please."

"On my way," came the immediate response.

When he arrived moments later, Quinn noticed the lack of surprise on his face at the scene blocking her doorway.

"What did you do?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest. Bobby had curled into a ball and apparently fallen asleep on her floor.

"He said he'd never had a drink before and wanted to try—"

She put her hand up to stop him and shook her head. "Get him back to his room and see that he is safe. We'll discuss this in the morning,Mister."

He looked at her sheepishly and nodded before bending to wake the sleeping man.

Day Two - Pairing #13 – Mitch & Oma

Prompt: Cafe AU

Mitch stared at the quiet, younger girl, trying to imagine that they were related. Not by blood, of course—realistically, she'd probably never know anything about her actual bloodline—but if what Mother had told her was true, this young woman was the closest thing she'd ever had to family besides Mother herself. If she squinted, she could almost make herself see similarities in their faces.

Apparently feeling Mitch's stare, the girl glanced up from her untouched tea uneasily, and then immediately dropped her gaze to the steaming liquid again, her face flushing as though she'd just done something of which she was ashamed. Mitch felt anger rising up through her solar plexus. Mother had told her some of what this girl had been through, and Mitch had seen with her own eyes the cruelty that she endured with that horrible princess she served.

"Aren't you going to drink your tea?" Mitch asked gently.

"Oma shall drink when Her Highness chooses to drink," the girl replied.

"But your princess isn't here right now. Your tea will get cold. Go ahead," she coaxed. "I'll watch for Princess Whatsherface and Mr. Tall Guy. They'll never know."

"Oma shall drink when Her Highness chooses—"

"What about a shaler?" Mitch picked up one of the colorful sweets and held it out to Oma.

The girl continued to stare into her cooling cup of tea. "Oma shall eat when Her Highness chooses to eat."

"Suit yourself," Mitch said, shrugging. She popped the shaler into her own mouth and shook her head, taking a second look at the slave's face.

This time she could imagine no resemblance at all.