Disclaimer: I do not own Sea Patrol. I merely use the characters for my own enjoyment.
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Mike let out a laugh as he raised the shot to his mouth, laughing as Buffer kept his lowered. There were cheers as he raised his arm, indicating to the barman to bring another round over. Charge lifted his beer and leant over to Buffer, tipping his glass in the direction of the embarrassed sailor, beer slopping over the side.
"Right Buff," he slurred, "Spill."
Buffer shook his head, a smirk crossing his face as he watched his mates slop their beers everywhere.
"Buff," Mike pushed, "Rules r' 'ules. I 'rder you t'spill!"
At the sound of the word order coming from his captain's mouth, he knew he couldn't keep it in much longer.
"Okay. It was at schoolies. We were all drunk and this really hot looking girl said to me and my mate that she would come back to our apartment if we kissed. We did and she buggered off."
Roars were let off as the guys erupted into laughter, the thought of the manly Buffer kissing another guy too hard to handle.
ET let out a shriek before holding his shot up, "I've got one!"
The shout silenced the others, all hands moving to the replenished shots on the table.
ET continued, "I've never done it with a Navy bird."
Six shots were raised and sculled whilst one remained on the table. All eyes locked onto the still full shot, eyes moving up to the embarrassed captain sitting behind the offending shot. Sly grins crossed the faces of the crew sitting around the bar table, the thought of finally being able to get some dirt on their captain to tempting to resist.
"Sir," Spider slurred, his head hanging dangerously low near the table, "You'urn."
Mike shook his head, picking up the shot before sculling it, the burning pain flowing down his throat a lot less worse than the pain he knew would come from the yelling he would get if he spilled.
"'S toooooooo late!" RO erupted, holding the beer up above his head and spilling it over those seated around him.
"Rules r' rules Boss!" ET smirked, "Shot has to be tak'n when the question is called, not 30 sec'ns later."
Mike let out a sigh, trying to stop his mouth from running away from him, like it normally did when he was drunk. There was shouting around him, and beer being thrown over his clothes as the crew waved drinks around him. He tried to remember the reason why he decided to play this game anyway but for the life of him, he couldn't recall what made him.
He held up his hands, defeated, "Okay! Was 5 years 'go. Was teaching a course. There was this one girl…. Really good looking…"
There was a cheer from the boys, all cheering on the captain.
Mike laughed before continuing, "Ended up having some drinks with her and well… things went from one thing to another and well…"
There was a cheer as the boys raised their drinks, loudly cheering on the boss and his endeavours with the female kind. Mike laughed before indicating for another round of shots, instantly regretting it at the words that came from Swain's mouth.
"I've never wanted to fraternise with any of the females on our boat," he shouted, raising his shot glass and sculling it. This time, 4 shot glasses remained on the table. There was a raucous cheer from the remaining 3, Charge, Buffer and Swain, at the embarrassed looks on ET, RO, Spider and Mike's faces.
"Kay," Charge called, "Spill!"
RO went first the name slipping from his lips before he could stop it, "Bomber."
At the name, Spider's head shot to look at him, "No way! Bomber's mine."
All eyes were on the impending fight that was arising between the two sailors, and Mike, thinking he could get away before they asked him. No such luck. As he stood up, he tripped on the bar stool, his unsteady legs getting tangled up in the long steel legs. He found himself lying on the floor, his eyes gazing up into the concerned faces of his crew. Unable to help himself, he burst out into laughter, the alcohol in his system numbing any of the pain he might have felt. The crew joined in and it wasn't long before a couple of female voices cut in.
"Sir!"
Mike tilted his head back, looking at Kate's concerned face. He smiled as he managed to get a good view up her skirt. He started laughing before shouting out a chant he remembered one of his nieces teaching him.
"I see London, I see France… I see Kate's underpants!" He started shrieking with laughter, the next words slipping out before he could stop them.
"And it's not the first time either!"
The laughter from the boys was silenced instantly as they realised what Mike had just said. All eyes were moved from the still laughing captain to the stormy faced XO. They all started to move, knowing the impending fight that would arise, and none wanting to be around to experience it.
Kate could not believe what she had just heard. She leant down, grabbing Mike's arm and pulling him unsteadily to his feet.
"You're coming with me," she muttered, her voice tense.
Mike had no idea what was going on, the final few shots he had taken going to his head. He did notice the growing distance between him and his final drink though, and not wanting to waste his money, he pulled himself in the opposite direction to the way he was being pulled, lunging for the final shot. He grabbed it and sculled it before Kate's hand wrapped around it, taking it from his own hand and slamming it down onto the table. He turned to look at her, a goofy smile on his face, completely oblivious to what he had done just before.
Kate just shook her head, "Come on!" She grabbed his arm and yanked him out the door, making sure he didn't trip on his drunken feet. When they reached her car, he turned and smiled at her.
"Am I coming home with yooouuu?" he slurred, his eyes hopeful as he stared at her.
Kate just threw him a blank stare, "I'm taking you home."
The drive was silent except for the snores coming from the passed out figure in the passenger seat. Kate glanced, noticing the way his head was lolling around on the seat, the peaceful expression on his face tearing at her heart. She turned back to face the road, knowing she couldn't have these thoughts.
She pulled him out of her car, trying to get him to at least wake up so she could move his bulky form up to the steps.
"Mike," she groaned, her knees buckling under his weight.
He let out a mumble, his eyes opening briefly as he stumbled up the stairs. She leant him against the doorframe, hoping that he would pull his keys out. No such luck. She let out a sigh as she moved closer towards him, her hands slipping into his pockets to pull out his keys. He murmured something, but she wasn't able to pick it up.
Kate finally made it to his bedroom, pushing him onto his bed. There was no way that she was changing him into his pyjamas. It was his fault for getting himself this drunk and she was not about to make things awkward for her. She turned to walk out, not noticing Mike moving on the bed behind her. She was surprised as a pair of hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her back onto the bed. She looked up into the glazed eyes of Mike, knowing that this was so wrong.
"Don't leave yet Kate. I shouldn't have let you go. It was so wrong," he slurred.
Tears gathered in her eyes before she shook her head.
"You're drunk and you can't say this."
She pushed him off her before standing up and walking out as quickly as possible, her only hope was that he would not remember this in the morning.