Too Young

"I am NOT too young." She muttered under her breath, walking away from the party. Momentarily she turns back to the ball room with her hand lightly on her fencing sword. "I beat father at fencing this afternoon! Who's HE to say I'm too young?!"

It simply wasn't fair. All Oscar did was ask for a glass of wine. Her father was having some stuffy party and decided that Oscar was to attend. She mostly stood around while he bragged about how well she was doing at the academy. There wasn't anyone her age to converse with. Andre wasn't even there; he was helping grandma in the kitchen. All there was a bunch of boring adults in ridiculous powdered wigs. Oscar watched as they all gabbed on and on, occasionally sipping wine from crystal glasses. She decided that she too should have a glass. So when a waiter with a tray of filled wine glasses walked by, she asked for one. But instead of wine, she was met with adults laughing.

"Oscar my son, you're too young." Her father said laughing. "Now go, run along. Find Andre."

Oscar huffed and walked down the hall. Too young, what is too young? In a few years' time she'll be guarding the dauphine! Too young ….

Meanwhile in the kitchen; Andre wasn't having much of a good time either. He sat at the table pouting, hands on his cheeks. Oscar was at the party, no one would let him do anything in the kitchen besides peel potatoes, and grandma smacked him with the ladle again. Too young they tell him, you'll get in the way, go peel potatoes. Well he peeled all the potatoes and there was nothing to do. He spied a lone bottle of cheap wine the servants had had with their dinner. It was almost empty and surely no one would mind him having a small glass. He was pouring the remaining wine in a cup when grandma hit him again with the ladle.

"Andre Grandier what are you doing?!" Grandma yelled, glaring at him down at him through her round spectacles. "You're far too young to be drinking that!"

"But Grandma!" Andre watched as his cup of wine was snatched away. "I'm eleven years old! Oscar's a year younger and she's probably having some at the party!"

"Lady Oscar! And she won't be having any wine. The master knows very well she's still too young." Grandma said. "Now go find Lady Oscar. You're not much help pouting here."

"Yes Grandma…" Andre sulked out of the kitchen, catching Grandma drink his wine from the corner of his eye. He was not too young. And it was only a small cup, not like it would hurt him. Andre went to find Oscar. They'd probably go make fun of the dandies from a far. He didn't have to look long as Oscar was on her way to see him in the kitchen.

"Oscar what's wrong?" he asked. Oscar pouted and huffed for the second time that night.

"Well apparently I'm too young. All I did was request a glass of wine and the laugh at me Andre! They laughed! Like I'm some silly child!"

"At least no one hit you. Grandma told me I was too young as well. Then she drank my wine!" The two stood in the empty hall fuming. It was then Oscar got an idea. A devilish grin spread across her face, and Andre knew they'd get in trouble.

"My dear Andre, we'll show them. We're old enough to drink wine and they'll feel so silly for telling us we're too young" she said.

"Oscar … what are you suggesting?" he asked. "I don't want to get hit with that ladle again."

"Don't worry Now follow me!" Oscar then took off toward the cellar.

"Don't worry …. That's what you always say!"

"Don't be a chicken Andre!"

They somehow managed to sneak a bottle out of the wine cellar and up into the attic. Andre suggested they drink there, just in case. Oscar plopped down on a pile of old clothes they had left out earlier.

"Crap, we forgot glasses." Andre said as he looked at the bottle in his hand. Oscar sat up and took the bottle, uncorking it.

"We can just drink from the bottle. Unless you think I have germs." She gave him a look.

"No, it just … well how are we supposed to prove to anyone we're not too young to drink this stuff?" Oscar didn't appear to hear him as she raised the bottle to her lips. Andre watched as she took the first gulp. She grimaced for only a moment and licked her lips. "How is it?"

"Not bad. Kinda like grape juice with a kick." She raised the bottle to her mouth again.

"Hey! Don't hog it!" Oscar giggled and handed him the bottle. He sniffed it first. It smelt stronger than the cheap wine in the kitchen. Andre closed his eyes and took a large sip. Oscar was right, grape juice with a kick. He looked back down at the bottle. It must be a good year, whatever that meant. He handed it back to Oscar who took another drink. Both sat on the pile of clothes passing the bottle back and forth a couple of time.

"This stuff seems to tastes better every time I drink it." Andre said handing the bottle back to Oscar, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

"Maybe that's why people get drunk." She drank and then had that devilish look on her face again. "I bet I could out drink you."

"No you couldn't."

"Why's that?"

"I'm older and taller than you." Why was he egging her on? Andre knew it'd just encourage her further. But for some reason he felt brave.

"Yeah by a year and an inch!" She took another drink then stood up. "I challenge you Andre! I say I can out drink you!"

"You're on." Andre stood facing her and snatched the bottle. "But what's the prize?"

"Pride." And so the drink off began. Each took turns taking a sip from the bottle. Slowly each began to stagger and slur.

"Give up yet Oscar?" He drank.

"HA! The son of General de Jarjayes never gives up a challenge!" She drank. "Unless you're saying I'm less of a man than you!"

"What? No! I didn't say anything like that." What was with her? He drank.

"Jus cus you're older you think you're more of a man." She drank again.

"What's with you? You're so insecure." He grabbed the bottle and drank. Why's the room feel so unsteady?

"Insecure? No not me." She calm down and took another drink. And then right out of nowhere… "Andre, have you ever kissed anyone?"

"W-what!?" Andre spit out a bit of the wine he had just drank. His face was red, either from embarrassment or the wine. "N-no."

"Huh, figures." She drank again.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Andre grabbed the bottle from her hands. It was getting lighter each time, unlike his head.

"Oh nothin'." She said swaying slightly. "You know the other day, a bunch of guys at the academy were just going on and on about kissing. What's the big deal?"

"I dunno." He said, uneasy about the smile on her face. Oscar took the bottle back.

"So you've never kissed anyone?" She held the bottle in her left hand, making no motion to drink.

"No."

"Then kiss me."

"W-ha?" Andre was dumbstruck. He looked at her face, red from alcohol and that devilish grin.

"You heard me, kiss me. I wanna know what the big deal is." She said.

"Well, I, we …" Andre really couldn't think of a reason why they shouldn't. His mind felt fuzzy, the room felt heavier than before. Suddenly she grabbed his lapel with her free hand and pulled him closer.

"Don't be a chicken Andre." And she kissed him. It was short yet sweet. A simple peck on the lips. Oscar let go and stood beck. Andre's face was even redder and he looked half asleep. It was then he fell over onto the pile of clothes and just laid there. Oscar looked down at him smiling. She went to drink from the bottle. It was empty. She set the bottle clumsily on the floor before sitting next to Andre.

"Andre, hey Andre." She shook his shoulders but he was passed out drunk. "Heh, told you I could out drink you."

Her eyes felt so heavy. She gently laid her head on Andres shoulder and she too fell asleep.

Grandma looked in almost all the rooms in the de Jarjayes manor. It was past those children's bed time but she couldn't find them. Then it hit her, the attic! They had been playing up there earlier that day. She made her way up the stairs, candles in hand. The attic smelt of strong alcohol and the evidence was the empty bottle sitting on the floor. She should wake them and punish them for drinking but could bring herself to do so. The two laid on a pile of old clothing. Oscar using Andre as a pillow. And Andre who had wrapped his arm around her at some point. They looked so peaceful. Grandma decided to let the hangover be their punishment.

I'm sorry, I don't really know how to write drunk people! But I had fun all the same. This is the first time I've written fanfiction in years, and the first time for Rose of Versailles. This was based on a head canon I came up with. Thanks for reading!