Title: A Noble Vow

Summary: Being drunk was unsettling for a girl who preferred to have control over most situations. She vows to never drink again – the question is, if she'll remember it in the morning.

Word Count: 1,305

Timeline: Chapter/Retrace 28, after the party.

"I think she's wasted," a male voice said. The voice sounded far away, and at the same time right in Sharon's ear. She stirred, and opened one eye. Everything was blurry, but as far as she could tell no one was standing over her. Maybe the statement had not been directed towards her.

With effort, Sharon picked up her head. She was curled up on the couch. Alice was sprawled out on the floor, and Oz was coaxing her to get up so he could carry her back to her room.

Her vision was foggy, and Sharon was sure she was looking through a cloud of white smoke. She waved her hand to clear the non-existent haze away, and realized, in horror, what she was doing.

Oh, she was never going to drink again, she thought. She rubbed her bleary eyes with the back of her hand, which cleared her vision a little.

Oz had gotten Alice on his back and they left the room, the girl appearing dead to the world, and the boy seeming to enjoy doing something for her without her demanding it.

*.*

Sharon closed her eyes, planning to stay there for the rest of the night, though she did not know if she would sleep or just end up drifting along in this trance-like state.

She groaned – or maybe growled, she wasn't quite sure – at the person that jolted her out of her reverie. An arm clasped around her shoulders, another slid under her knees, and she was lifted from the couch.

Her head started throbbing. "No, just leave me here," she said, not even sure who she was speaking to.

"Good idea," she heard Oscar mumble, though the voice seemed to be coming from the direction of the floor. "You leave her, and carry me to my room instead."

Sharon heard a soft chuckle come from the chest that her head was cradled against. "I'll be back for you, Oscar-sama," Break said.

"Really?"

"Yes, in the morning."

"Fine," Oscar said, his speech slurring, "Leave me here with the other drunk, why don't ya."

"No…" Sharon heard Gilbert say as Break carried her out of the room. "I'm on my way to my quarters."

"Even if," Break said so only Sharon could hear him, "It takes him the rest of the night to get there."

Though it took more effort that normal, she managed a smile. She did not bother to open her eyes, but she took in a deep breath attempting to clear the spinning in her head. It didn't help, for her senses were inundated with the sharp tang of the alcohol Oscar had brought, mixed with heady scent of vanilla and something else she could not quite put her finger on. It might have been brown sugar.

"You smell intoxicating," Sharon heard herself say. Her hand flew to her mouth. So very, very unladylike.

"I believe the proper term is 'intoxicated'," Break said.

"I'm never drinking again."

"A noble vow, my lady."

His gait was slow and smooth, and she could feel herself drifting off. She forced open her eyes, ignoring the headache. She didn't want to fall into another stupor and risk saying something stupid again.

She couldn't see anything but the cloth of his shirt, so she tilted her head up slightly. Now she could see some of his throat and jaw line, and a small amount of his white hair – good, she thought. She had been slightly concerned she had been hallucinating and was still sleeping on the couch – or worse, someone else was actually carrying her off.

"Thanks for moving me," she said softly.

"I could not leave you with those scoundrels for the night."

Sharon felt her head clear, if only a little. "Yes, my grandmother would have been furious."

"Furious," he said, "But only that she had not been invited to the party."

"Did I make a fool of myself, Xerx-niisan?"

"Oh no, Gilbert-kun takes the cake for that one. Though I did find Oz-kun's face humorous when he had to stop Alice-kun from stripping in front of him."

Sharon giggled. They were so sweet together, she thought dreamily. She recalled Oz carrying Alice out on his back. Break, in contrast, was carrying her, what did the romance novels call it? Her memory gave out on her for a moment. Bridal style, that was it.

Sharon felt a flush rise to her cheeks. She scrunched her face back into his shirt to hide it. "Xerx-niisan, I think I can walk now. Put me down."

Much to her dismay, he turned his head and looked down at her face. "I don't believe my lady could even stand in her current condition."

Oh, she shouldn't let him get away with that. She should demand him to put her down. He had no right to assess her condition without her leave –

"All right," she said. But I don't have to be happy about it, she added mentally.

He laughed softly. She wondered if the thoughts that conflicted with her words had been written on her face.

Yes, she was never, ever drinking again.

*.*

The movement stopped. She shifted and realized they were in front of her bedroom door.

He murmured, "Will you hold onto my neck for a moment? I don't think you'll forgive me if I drop you."

She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding herself close enough that his hair tickled her face. She found she was not sharing space with the doll. She snuck a glance to his other shoulder – no, she wasn't there either. "Where's Emily?"

"I left her to keep watch on our fallen companions." His hand now free, he opened the door and stepped inside. Sharon's maids had left a lamp lit for her return.

Her mind was still a bit waterlogged, for two thoughts seemed to pass through it instantaneously.

One, she realized how little this room, like her body, had changed in the last ten years.

Two, she was pretty sure she had read a book that had a scene which started like this a couple of weeks ago.

He laid her legs on the bed, and he stayed bent next to her, since she was still clinging to his neck. He was waiting for her to release her hold. No, she decided. Punishment for embarrassing me earlier.

A moment stretched.

"Will you me sleeping in that dress, my lady?" Break asked – or rather, breathed – into her ear.

Sharon pulled away from him as if she had been stung. "Yes," she said. Because, she was quite sure she would not be able to stand on her own two feet, as he had suggested before.

He smiled. She glared.

"Good night, my lady," he said. She reached for his hand as he straightened, and only managed to catch hold of his sleeve.

"Xerxes-san?" She paused and wondered where the more formal title came from. His face seemed to be contemplating over the same thing.

"If," she said, "My body had aged like it should have, do you think I would have looked like my mother?"

He took the hand that held onto his sleeve, and pressed it to his lips. "How about," he said, "You ask the deeper questions when we are both sober."

She nodded. He blew out the lamp, and closed the door behind him. The room was dark, and Sharon wished she had asked him to stay until she fell asleep.

As she got under the covers and closed her eyes, she grasped onto his words – both sober, and she knew her slow wits from drink had been taken advantage of to slide out of a question he did not want to answer.

And the worst of it was, she did not know if she would remember anything in the morning.