Ficlet: Dare
Title: Dare
Pairing/Characters: Picard/Q
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation, specifically the episode "Tapestry."
Rating: PG
Warnings: None needed.
Summary: After Q gives Picard a second chance at life, Picard is curious as to his motivations.
Word Count: 400
Notes: I got two Picard/Q prompts that were pretty close, so I put them together and doubled the word count! For the prompts, "Pity you had to change" and "decision time."
When the door to his quarters slides open, Picard seems not terribly surprised to see Q lounging in a chair, still wearing his white robes. He does, however, seem annoyed. "What are you doing here?"
Q raises an eyebrow. "Are you always going to be so boorish when we meet, Jean-Luc? Whatever happened to 'I owe him a debt of gratitude?'" he echoes, mimicking Picard's tone.
Picard's mouth twists as though he's bitten into a lemon. "Don't you have anything better to do with your supposed omnipotence than eavesdrop?"
Q crosses his arms and grins. "Not a thing."
"Very well," Picard says. "I suppose I do owe you thanks. But I must ask: why? Why did you save me?"
"Save you?" Q arranges his face into one of his better sneers and stands to face Picard. "Jean-Luc, I was making a point about how dreadfully dull you've become."
Picard's eyebrows arch and he almost smiles, which is annoying. "Dull?"
"Compared to dashing, bold Johnny, you're nothing but an old stick-in-the-mud," Q jeers. "Why, you wouldn't know an adventure or an opportunity if it bit you on the nose. No, Jean-Luc, this was an attempt to make you realize that you've become an old fuddy-duddy with no courage to really take a risk."
The amusement in Picard's eyes fades to something that's both challenging and assessing. It’s rather a charming look for him, but Q would never say so. "Oh really?"
Q stepped closer. "Really. The you that you've become wouldn't dare to do something truly outrageous. Always playing it safe, always keeping it cool. Maybe you knew about passion as a boy, but as a man you've learned not to indulge in any kind of messy impulse to have fun or take a chance." Picard is glaring at him now, and Q leans in even closer, until their noses are almost touching. Come on, Jean-Luc. Don't make me have re-arranged space and time for nothing, you glorious, nettling man. "You don't have the guts,” he hisses.
The annoyance in Picard's eyes shifts abruptly into laughter, and Q must have been quite distracted, because he doesn't see it coming when Picard grabs his toga and drags him close. "Don't I?" he whispers challengingly, and kisses Q with a passion that is indeed rather boyish and entirely bold.
Q throws his arms around his laughing Johnny and leans into the kiss, triumphant.
Pairing/Characters: Picard/Q
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation, specifically the episode "Tapestry."
Rating: PG
Warnings: None needed.
Summary: After Q gives Picard a second chance at life, Picard is curious as to his motivations.
Word Count: 400
Notes: I got two Picard/Q prompts that were pretty close, so I put them together and doubled the word count! For the prompts, "Pity you had to change" and "decision time."
When the door to his quarters slides open, Picard seems not terribly surprised to see Q lounging in a chair, still wearing his white robes. He does, however, seem annoyed. "What are you doing here?"
Q raises an eyebrow. "Are you always going to be so boorish when we meet, Jean-Luc? Whatever happened to 'I owe him a debt of gratitude?'" he echoes, mimicking Picard's tone.
Picard's mouth twists as though he's bitten into a lemon. "Don't you have anything better to do with your supposed omnipotence than eavesdrop?"
Q crosses his arms and grins. "Not a thing."
"Very well," Picard says. "I suppose I do owe you thanks. But I must ask: why? Why did you save me?"
"Save you?" Q arranges his face into one of his better sneers and stands to face Picard. "Jean-Luc, I was making a point about how dreadfully dull you've become."
Picard's eyebrows arch and he almost smiles, which is annoying. "Dull?"
"Compared to dashing, bold Johnny, you're nothing but an old stick-in-the-mud," Q jeers. "Why, you wouldn't know an adventure or an opportunity if it bit you on the nose. No, Jean-Luc, this was an attempt to make you realize that you've become an old fuddy-duddy with no courage to really take a risk."
The amusement in Picard's eyes fades to something that's both challenging and assessing. It’s rather a charming look for him, but Q would never say so. "Oh really?"
Q stepped closer. "Really. The you that you've become wouldn't dare to do something truly outrageous. Always playing it safe, always keeping it cool. Maybe you knew about passion as a boy, but as a man you've learned not to indulge in any kind of messy impulse to have fun or take a chance." Picard is glaring at him now, and Q leans in even closer, until their noses are almost touching. Come on, Jean-Luc. Don't make me have re-arranged space and time for nothing, you glorious, nettling man. "You don't have the guts,” he hisses.
The annoyance in Picard's eyes shifts abruptly into laughter, and Q must have been quite distracted, because he doesn't see it coming when Picard grabs his toga and drags him close. "Don't I?" he whispers challengingly, and kisses Q with a passion that is indeed rather boyish and entirely bold.
Q throws his arms around his laughing Johnny and leans into the kiss, triumphant.