Be Mine - Valentine's Day 2017

[londoncallingmods]

Lucky in love or not, London was a lovely place to find yourself on Valentine's Day. From romantic walks through various parks, to intimate dinners or shared deserts in the many restaurants and cafe's- There was something for everyone, because if wandering or dining wasn't for you, well, there were plenty of organised events to attend.

London couldn't claim to be the city of love, but it was certainly a city of possibilities.

Comments

[quartermaster_q]

"I do love the water," Q said as he climbed into the car. "...Well, looking at it more than being in it or near it. Bloody cold out there. ...And dirty."

[0_0_7]

"I went into the Thames once and had to have an entire regimen of inoculations," Bond commented once he was behind the wheel. He strapped in and took off for home.

"Tell me about where we're going on holiday," he asked, trying to keep his mind off the deep need he had to have Q bare against him.

[quartermaster_q]

"A tiny cottage, out in the middle of nowhere. Used to be a dairy farm or something. It's... Primitive, but I thought you might like that," Q confessed.

[0_0_7]

"That does sound rather nice," he said, smiling softly. Q knew him so well. So well, in fact, that Bond often didn't even realize he was being guided one way or another. Oh, he had a will all his own, but Q had so much more power over him than he realized.

"Just a few days, you say?"

[quartermaster_q]

"Three, but our stay could be extended if you'd like," Q replied.

[0_0_7]

"I think if we keep taking holidays someone's going to catch on that we're never at work, and always together," Bond said. "If we're going to keep this secret, Q, we're going to have to be more careful."

[quartermaster_q]

Q huffed a little at that, but didn't argue. Generally he was the sensible one, but- Well, he'd never been that sensible when it came to Bond. "As if they don't already know. They know everything, James."

[0_0_7]

"Let's not give them a reason to act on anything they think they know," he replied. "And, yes, I realize the irony of me being the one begging caution."

[quartermaster_q]

"So fine, three days," Q huffed. "Or less. I can cancel the trip now if you want. I'm sure we wont actually make it there anyway. There's no doubt something that needs doing in the arctic or wherever."

[0_0_7]

Bond arched a brow and cast him a sidelong glance.

"You're taking away my Valentine's present because I want to keep you safe?" he asked smartly.

[quartermaster_q]

"I'm not taking it away, I'm being realistic. I thought that was what we were doing now. You don't actually think we'll get out of London for three whole days? I'll be shocked if we make it through the night before you get called into work, James. ...It's just- It's a nice fantasy, alright? That's all," Q said quietly.

[0_0_7]

He kept his eyes on the road and took a slow, steady breath.

"Actually, I got orders this morning that I refused," he said. "I'm not M's favourite right now. When he does call me up next I'm sure it'll be some hellish mission in some god awful corner of the world," he admitted. "But I wanted tonight with you."

And, for not the first time, he thought about retiring altogether.

[quartermaster_q]

"You shouldn't do things like that," Q said quietly. "I'd have rather we missed Valentine's than know you were getting on M's bad side. We need all the allies we can get, James."

[0_0_7]

"If I thought M was temperamental as all that I would have never done it. But Mallory isn't like her and I doubt he'll hold it too much against me," Bond said. "And he's still firmly in our corner when it comes to SPECTRE...he needs allies, too."

[quartermaster_q]

"You just said you think he's going to send you somewhere dreadful," Q frowned.

[0_0_7]

"Anywhere away from you is dreadful," he replied. "But there are places I'd rather not go. I'll be thrilled to go to China if it means I don't have to go to Caracas or somewhere like it."

[quartermaster_q]

Q nodded a little, but fell silent- He didn't want to talk about this anymore. Not tonight.

[0_0_7]

Bond drove near the river for a while but the traffic annoyed him. So many other people seemed to have the same idea. So he turned off and headed for their flat.

"You've gotten awfully quiet," he noted.

[quartermaster_q]

"Ran out of things to say, I suppose," Q said softly.

[0_0_7]

"You? Not possible," Bond replied. "Quick wit like yours doesn't simply dry up."

But he didn't ask what had caused it. He knew.

[quartermaster_q]

"Don't have to flatter me, Double-o Seven, I'm already coming home with you," Q quipped gently, offering a small and tired smile.

[0_0_7]

So they were back to Double-o Seven. It never ceased to amaze him how quickly Q could go from James to his job title, pushing him away to a safe distance with little more than the choice of an address.

"Mm. So you are," he replied.

[quartermaster_q]

"Mmm, forever and always. Till death do us part and all that," the Quartermaster added. "...I'm sorry I got snippy. Everything's just so tense. This, us, it's the only happy thing I have right now. I hate that work is forever pulling us apart, but that's not on you."

[0_0_7]

"I have been giving some thought to retiring. Now that...well, now it seems I might be getting a bit long in the tooth for this sort of thing. Might be a younger man's game, as Mallory so kindly pointed out," Bond said, slowly...testing the waters a bit.

[quartermaster_q]

"I think you'd be miserable if you retired- But that's not my choice to make," Q replied, looking over at James. "For whatever it's worth, I'm not ready to pack it in yet. There's a fight that needs fighting- And it's likely going to cost me my job in the long run, but I'm still all in. ...I'd understand if you wanted out though."