Disclaimer: I don't own Thunderbirds.

Characters: Scott, John. Rating: K. Warnings: None

Drabble challenge from purfectpurple: "this is your fault by the way" with Scott.

Scott did not want to be there. At all. Had he had the choice, he would have declined the opportunity in favour of staying home and playing catch-up with the TI paperwork that was steadily getting more and more overdue.

Unfortunately, some Tracy representation was required at the stupid gathering, and his other brothers - even Gordon - had begged out of it one way or another until he'd found himself unwillingly stuffed into one of his too-expensive suits and toted out to perform for the masses.

Literally.

Charity affairs could be interesting. Lady Penelope, thankfully, managed to keep hers to the sensible contributions of large dinners or auctions, but some of the more eccentric do-gooders thought that the best way to make money was through the embarrassment of famous faces.

Usually, Gordon was up for this sort of thing. Gordon revelled in displays that sane people would call embarrassing, and yet this time there had been an unexpected scheduling clash with an underwater research jaunt that couldn't possibly be put off.

Scott rather suspected he didn't want to be embarrassing himself in front of Lady Penelope, who was present but had managed to pull the right strings to get herself out of any embarrassing displays herself. The blond woman was perched delicately on a chair, eyeing him with some mirth even from the other side of the room. Well, at least someone was amused at his predicament.

John hadn't even begged off. The answer had been a firm no, with threats to disable the space elevator and all the airlocks on Thunderbird Five if anyone tried to drag him down. Virgil had just cringed so badly Scott didn't have the heart to try and push it on him, and as for Alan?

Scott was supposed to be the responsible adult that stopped youngest brothers from doing embarrassing things. He couldn't in good conscious sacrifice the youngest to the claws of the masses for this. Besides, Alan was underage.

"Enjoying yourself?" John's voice sounded in his ear, sounding highly amused. "This is your fault, by the way."

"How?" Scott hissed back. "What did I possibly do to cause this?"

"You do know you're currently considered the most eligible bachelor in the world?"

"What?" No. Scott had not known that, and couldn't say he was pleased about it. "Why?"

"Ask the people that voted," John shrugged. "I wasn't one of them. But if I had to guess, I would say it would have something to do with the Tracy fortune, Tracy Industries, and that little side-gig you've got going of saving the world several times a day. Apparently that has some appeal. Some of them might even like your face."

Nothing like some brotherly compliments.

"That nonsense aside," Scott dismissed, "what does that have to do with this? They didn't even know I'd be here!"

John chuckled. "You're predictable, big brother."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

His annoying little brother simply ended the call.

"John!"

"Scott Tracy!" the announcer called, and Scott wilted. On the plus side, no brothers meant they weren't going to be heckling him the whole time.

…Just when he got home, because John was no doubt recording the whole thing.

Thanks for reading!
Tsari