Q didn't think he'd ever been cruel to him. Cold, yes, but he didn't see how that made him a 'dick'.

He looked at Alcuin for a long moment, then shook his head. "I'm not going to list things that would have 'made me like you'. It's a pointless exercise, and you know it. It can only result in you either grieving things that can't be changed, or picking apart everything I say, looking for the key to making us dear friends. ...And there isn't one, because I don't dislike you, Alcuin. I simply find you a difficult man to trust, something that forces me to remain cautious and detached. I'm sorry if that wounds you, that's not my intent. I'm protecting myself, and I'm protecting James. Nothing more."

He fidgeted with the small wedding band he wore now, a very thin bit of silver, easy to miss if someone wasn't looking for it.

"I'm not sure what it is you want from me anyway. I'm not exactly 'BFF' material. I can't talk to you about work, I hardly have a social life outside of James and the cats. I can count my friends on one hand, and two of them are co-workers- And that's without counting Bond."