Bond

[cuppa_q]

Taking a break from picking apart the computers in the Lab, Q was currently home alone- Bored. Bored was never a good thing for the boffin to be, it tended to get him in trouble, and he was currently making a mess in the bedroom, clothes all over the floor from where he'd been digging in the closet for the few tools he'd scavenged over the past few months. Between the piles of clothes were several deconstructed phones he'd found on the beach, all in various states of disrepair. ...And, of course, right in the center of the chaos sat Q himself.

He knew Bond wouldn't be impressed by the mess (Harry seemed less likely to mind), but that, on some level, was part of what he was up to. He was bored and irritating Bond was one way to entertain himself.

Comments

[cuppa_q]

"Mmm, I do think there are others who'd be interested in venturing out. If not though, perhaps Harry and I could simply join you," Q suggested.

[0_0_7]

"Hmm...it's worth considering," he said. The path lead them into the graveyard. It was a quiet place, and overgrown. The headstones stood, some erratically.

[cuppa_q]

Letting go, Q wandered away a few feet, examining headstones and brushing away plants.

"Strange isn't it? No one here but us, but so many people gone," the boffin noted.

[0_0_7]

"It makes me wonder what happened to them all," he said with a nod of agreement.

[cuppa_q]

"Let's hope they all died peacefully of old age," Q said softly.

[0_0_7]

"Let's hope," he said. He didn't like this place. The air felt off, decidedly colder in this one small area. He let Q clear a bit more growth, then nodded to the path. "Let's move on."

[cuppa_q]

Nodding, Q caught up and again took hold of Bond's hand.

"As worrying as this place is, I have to admit I'm grateful for it, in a way."

[0_0_7]

"Oh? Why is that?" he asked, looking at Q. He found he rather liked holding the boffin's hand. It was...sweet.

[cuppa_q]

"It brought us all together. You, Harry, myself... I doubt this would have happened back in London," Q said honestly.

[0_0_7]

"I believe you're right," he replied. If he was honest with himself he knew he would have just used Q and discarded him. He'd have kept on his path of self destruction.

[cuppa_q]

"...Though I also fear this will all fall apart when we make our way home. Harry will return to his job, you'll return to your women, and I'll... Well, I'll shut up and carry on, I suppose," Q confessed, dropping James hand then.

[0_0_7]

Bond reached for his arm and pulled him to a stop.

"No," he said simply. "That's not how it will be. When we get home I don't want to go back to how things used to be."

[cuppa_q]

Q didn't react, and he didn't argue. He knew bond though, had watched him grow bored and abandon lover after lover.

"Alright," he said, not wanting to fight.

[0_0_7]

Bond sighed.

"I wish you'd have a bit of faith in me," he said softly.

[cuppa_q]

"It's not a lack of faith, I just... I know you. I've seen you fall before, and then grow bored," Q said quietly.

[0_0_7]

"That's because women are inherently boring," he replied, his ingrained misogyny peeking through. It was so easy to use women and toss them aside for him. Most of the time he barely gave the girls any thought at all.

[cuppa_q]

"Your misogyny doesn't fill me with any kind of confidence, if that's what you were aiming for," Q replied bluntly, pulling a face. "Let's talk about something else, shall we?"

[0_0_7]

Bond honestly hadn't realized what he might have conveyed with his statement and he wanted to protest, but he kept his mouth shut. It was a simple sentence from Q, but it felt as if he'd been scolded soundly.

"Of course," he replied, contrite.

[cuppa_q]

"Let's head home. I'll clean up that mess if it's so distressing for you," the boffin sighed.

[0_0_7]

Bond had been relaxed, but now with the scolding and the reminder of the mess, he tensed up once again.

"I can help tidy up," he said.

[cuppa_q]

"It's my mess, I'll clean it," Q replied simply, shaking his head. "It's fine."

Something had shifted though, and it was obvious Q was even more unhappy than he'd been before.

[0_0_7]

They walked in silence, nearly to the village before Bond spoke again.

"Do you truly believe I'm going to leave you?" he asked quietly.

[cuppa_q]

"Everyone else has, in time, and you- Well, you have a history of leaving people. Have a history of leaving me, even," Q pointed out. "It feels inevitable."

[0_0_7]

Bond pulled him to a stop and turned to face him. His blue gaze was intense, burning into Q.

"The only way I'll leave you is if I'm dead," he said firmly.

[cuppa_q]

In the moment, Q was sure that Bond believed that. That to James that was true- But Q couldn't bring himself to fall for such a fairytale. Still, his intention wasn't to upset Bond, and so he offered something calm in reply.

"Alright," he said gently. "Just let it be, Bond. It's alright."