S and Harry

[0_0_7]

Bond had concluded his day early enough to stop at the market and was home before anyone else. He set about making a simple dinner of chicken and pasta to have it ready.

He'd been thinking of S all day. He understood the man had a troubled past, but there was no reason to hold it against him. Sometimes all a person needed was some support. No one could go it alone.

He'd just popped the garlic bread in the oven when he heard the door open.

"Oh, good. You're home. Come pick the wine, honey," he smiled at Harry.

Comments

[lepidopterologist]

When Harry came in he immediately rushed over to James. "My god, James, why haven't you been answering your phone? Have you seen Q? You haven't seen Q have you?"

It did not occur to him yet that James had certainly never called him 'honey'.

[0_0_7]

Bind pulled his phone from his pocket to find somehow he'd powered it off.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, hon, it must have been off all day. What queue are you talking about? Did I miss something?"

[lepidopterologist]

Harry blinked at him, and then...

His mouth dropped open. "Are you cooking?"

[0_0_7]

Bond nodded.

"I made that chicken and pasta that you like and the garlic bread is in the oven. That lovely young man from last night will be joining us shortly," he smiled. "His name is S and he's very sweet, but he doesn't recall much. Were you aware he was high? I didn't realize. I feel awful..."

[lepidopterologist]

"Oh my god," said Harry, and then sat down heavily in a chair, putting his head in his hands. "Oh my god, it's both of you..."

[0_0_7]

"What's that?" he asked, bringing Harry a glass of cold white wine. "What's the matter, honey?"

[lepidopterologist]

"James..." The name sounded like a plea. But Harry took the glass, took a generous swallow, and then set the glass down before grasping both of James' hands. "Tell me who you are," he said. "Tell me who we are."

[0_0_7]

Bond smiled gently and brought Harry's hands up so he could kiss them lightly.

"I'm James. Bond. I'm your partner, Harry. For about fifteen years now. I'm the headmaster at St. Augustine's and you run data analysis for the government. Honey, are you feeling alright? Maybe we should put dinner on hold and go to the hospital. Maybe that new medication is messing with you."

[lepidopterologist]

Jesus bloody christ, thought Harry. James would be horrified.

Also... both of them... was it possible that he really was the crazy one here?

"That's... that's not true. None of that is true. Well, your name." He rubbed his eyes. "Here, I - "

And he did the same thing he had with S earlier. He pulled his phone. And this time he scrolled straight to the selfie of the three of them. "There, that isn't familiar to you?"

[0_0_7]

"Oh, say, that's a nice picture," he smiled. "Is that one of your snappy-chatty filters?"

He smiled as he looked at it, but when he handed it back to Harry, his smile faltered.

"I'd never wear a suit that posh."

[lepidopterologist]

"Seems like it," Harry said. "Also does this look like someone we met last night while they were high out of their mind?" Especially the way Q was looking at him in that photo. "Not to mention - " He swiped to show the metadata. The photo was taken three weeks ago.

[0_0_7]

"I don't understand what you're showing me, love," he said. He gave it serious consideration, but Bond was a man who could shut his phone off and not notice for an entire day.

"You're saying three weeks ago he was here, too?" he asked. "I don't remember that."

[lepidopterologist]

"I'm saying... I'm saying you're not you," Harry said. "And neither is he. Though christ, if it's both of you, maybe I'm the one who's lost my mind... I don't know, James, does anything in this house seem off to you? You want to go look in the closets?"

[0_0_7]

Bond looked around, but saw nothing wrong.

"Harry, you're worrying me, love."

[lepidopterologist]

Harry was quiet for a long moment and then said, "I don't... I don't know what to do."

Because he really didn't. Dealing with Q... S... seemed like something he could handle, because he and James could handle it together, just like they'd saved Q last time. But he didn't know how to tackle this. Both of them.

[0_0_7]

Bond gently rubbed his back and pulled him into a hug.

"It's alright, Harry. We'll figure it out. But we'll have company soon. Nothing's going to happen in the hour it takes to eat dinner. Then we can go to the doctor if you like."

[lepidopterologist]

"Yes, I know," Harry sighed. "I know him, too. I asked him to stay here until I figure this out. Because the person in that photo, he's not some random hook-up, James. Well, I guess at least I don't have to worry about you bolting. But I should make sure the guest room is made up for him." He glanced over at the stove. "And it seems like you have dinner under control." Which was bloody weird.

[cuppa_q]

S arrived later than he said he would, still not sure he should come at all. He was curious though, and curiosity had a way of leading him well down the rabbit hole.

He knocked lightly on the door, a single bag on his shoulder.

[0_0_7]

"That's him!" Bond said brightly, leaving Harry in his torment to go an answer the door.

"Perfect timing. Dinner is almost-"

The timer went off.

"-Ready. Come in, come in. Harry, I'm going to fetch the bread. Will you see he gets a drink?"

And then he rushed to the kitchen before the bread burned.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry got to his feet, and looked a bit deflated as he met S at the door. He managed a small smile. "Thanks for coming back," he said quietly. "There's white wine open, or would you prefer scotch?"

[cuppa_q]

S still didn't know what to make of the pair. James with all his cheer, and Harry with all his... Well, photos and memories. It was a lot, but S just nodded politely.

"Scotch, I think," he said, pushing his glasses up his nose and revealing a slightly cracked lense.

[0_0_7]

Bond began bringing plates out to the table and another bottle of wine as Harry got S sorted.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry noticed the lens. He went to get a bottle of scotch, and when he did he also went into the office and grabbed Q's extra pair of glasses. Assuming the prescription was the same.

He came back out and handed them to S. "Try these," he said. And poured two glasses of scotch. He pushed one to S, and the other one he filled a bit more generously because he seriously needed it.

[cuppa_q]

S took the glasses, trying them on and looking surprised that they were the correct prescription.

"How?" he asked.

[lepidopterologist]

"Same way I knew you like banana pancakes," said Harry, and sat down at the table. He still couldn't believe James was cooking. He took a drink.