P: Purp

"...Why do you want me to do this, again?"

Jim grinned, tossing the fruit back and forth in his hands.

"No particular reason, Captain… You just said you've never tried one. So here's your chance to try the 'golden fruit of Montressor'."

Amelia raised an eyebrow at him, her arms crossed. She was seated next to Delbert at a table in the Benbow, Jim directly across from her. He was on Winter Break from the Academy, and had been spending most of his time at the Benbow, helping Sarah out. The lunch rush had just ended, and apparently his idea of fun involved bothering Delbert and Amelia.

"When I said I never tried one, I didn't mean I wanted to try one right this second, James."

"Come on, Captain, it's not gonna hurt you."

"Honestly, I'm more concerned that it's you that wants me to try one. I could care less about the fruit itself."

Jim gasped in mock-surprise.

"What, you don't trust me?"

Amelia rolled her eyes, sighing.

"It's not a matter of trust. You have a habit of pulling pranks, and I refuse to be on the receiving end of one." she said, standing. "I'm going to check on Ms. Hawkins."

Jim laughed as she left, looking over at Delbert, who was too engrossed in his book to pay any attention to the conversation.

"Doc, I can't believe you've never made her try one."

"Try what?" Delbert asked, looking up from his book. He looked down at the small fruit cradled in Jim's hand. "That?"

"Yeah, she said she's never had one." Jim shrugged, tossing it up in the air once before tossing it to Delbert, who fumbled and nearly dropped the thing on the floor.

"Why...Why would I do that?" he said, a bit shakily as he gingerly set it on the table. "You know how she is..."

"It's just some fruit!" Jim laughed, throwing his hands up. "You'd think I'd asked her to do the impossible."

Delbert shrugged, returning his gaze back to his book.

"If she doesn't want to do it, she won't do it. Maybe she doesn't like them."

"How can you not like something you've never had?" Jim huffed, grabbing it forcefully and taking a big bite out of it. "See? Still delicious."

"Jim, you like it but that doesn't mean she will." Delbert smiled, earmarking his page when he saw Amelia on her way back to the table.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Are you allergic to them?"

Amelia rolled her eyes, sighing heavily as she tossed the last load of laundry in the washer. After spending the day with Jim and Sarah, they'd come home to finish up some chores around the house before heading to bed. Delbert had been thinking about the conversation he'd had with Jim earlier, and couldn't fathom why Amelia was so hesitant about the whole thing.

"Honestly, Delbert, you're as bad as James."

Delbert smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as he leaned against the doorframe behind her.

"I have to admit, Jim's insistence that you try one has peaked my interest as to why you won't at least try…"

"I'm just not all that interested in trying some oddly-shaped purple fruit."

"It's...It's just round, Amelia. Not that odd..."

Delbert tensed when she finally turned to face him, one hand on her hip. She didn't seem angry, just a little frustrated.

"Let's say I gave into this ridiculous charade. What sort of pleasure would you get out of me trying the stupid thing?" she sighed, running a hand through her hair.

Delbert couldn't help but grin as he took her hand and dragged her off to the kitchen.

XXXXXXXX

"She said what?"

Jim almost choked on the soda he was drinking, staring at Delbert with wide eyes.

Delbert chuckled, shrugging as he handed Sarah another bag of groceries to put in the Benbow's refrigerator.

"She said she wasn't fond of it. Something about the texture...the taste...I don't remember what exactly she said."

Jim grunted, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Spacers must have horrible taste in fruit, then."

Sarah laughed at her pouting son.

"Why are you taking it so personally, Jim?"

"Who in the world doesn't like purps?!" Jim sighed, throwing his hands up in the air.

A/N: This was oddly fun to write. Every probably sounds really out of character buuuuuut ya know how it goes. I got distracted lol 3 REVIEW PLEEEEEASE!