Q

[0_0_7]

Saturday morning was beautiful The sun was bright, the air chilly, and mist hovered on the surface of the water so it seemed as if the school was surrounded on all sides by a cloud.

Bond had gone for a run, first around campus and then into town. He was just emerging from the fog blanketing the bridge when he spotted Q. He slowed to a jog, then finally stopped near him.

"I can't believe you're awake this early," he said. "I didn't wake you up, did I?"

He hardly wanted to admit it, but he rather liked Q in his bed at night. He liked the lad in his rooms all the time. He enjoyed chatting with him. Enjoyed spending time in silence. And he enjoyed waking up with the weight of Q's limbs on him.

Comments

[cuppa_q]

Q wouldn't admit it either, but he'd already grown fond of spending a few nights a week with Bond. Even on evenings where he'd done nothing more then crawl into the man's bed and fall asleep. He took comfort in just being near him- He couldn't explain it. Even when the man was being insufferable, bordering on unkind- Q couldn't help but be smitten.

He'd not been on the bridge long, though the tea in his paper cup was already cooling, and he warmed it with a spell. Holding it in both hands, he turned to face the professor, leaning against the stone wall of the long bridge.

"No, I think I must have slept a while after you left. I was just trying to decide what to do with my weekend, to be honest."

[0_0_7]

"You'll have time to figure it out. I have to take my car into the city for service," Bond said. He watched Q sip, charmed by him at the most unusual times.

"Unless...you'd like to join me for a trip?" he asked, almost as an afterthought.

[cuppa_q]

Q looked a bit surprised, but played it off with a small shrug.

"I could join you. ...What's wrong with your car?" he asked.

He nearly offered to look at it for him, after all, Q had a reputation for being a bit of a nerd of all trades. Hacking, building, repair work, inventions... He was a tinkerer. He liked to take things apart and make them better. However, the idea of a little trip with Bond was too tempting to risk spoiling.

[0_0_7]

"If I knew, I wouldn't be taking it to be serviced," he replied. "Come in out of the cold. I'll clean up and we can go. Get a bit of dinner, hmm?"

It would be nice, he thought, to have a date. A date well away from school grounds.

[cuppa_q]

"Yes, alright," Q agreed, trying to play it cool, but unable to hide the little smile that crept onto his lips.

"Do you run every morning?" he asked, starting to walk at James' side.

[0_0_7]

"This sort of run, only Saturday mornings. During the week I run enough with the lads on the pitch," he said. Even in the chill air, Bond had broken a sweat and the neck of his shirt was stained dark, as well as a patch on his back. He definitely needed a shower, he wasn't going anywhere smelling of exercise.

[cuppa_q]

"I'd offer to join you, but I don't run. I don't even jog. The rare swift step is enough for me, I'm afraid," Q said.

[0_0_7]

"I like that you're soft," he mentioned casually. He liked so much about Q. And he'd realized by just how well Q reacted that a little bit of praise went a long way in keeping him obedient.

[cuppa_q]

Q blushed a little, sipping his tea to give himself a moment to think before speaking.

"Yes, well, I like that you're... Solid," he replied, unable to stop himself from glancing over and drinking in the sight of the other man and his sweat damp appearance.

[0_0_7]

Bond chuckled warmly and held the door, then led Q to his room. The lights came on and on the table was a velvet box with a silver bow on it.

He knew he didn't even need to mention the shoes.

[cuppa_q]

Q slipped his shoes off, his gaze drawn to the box on the table.

"I don't leave school grounds often," he admitted, speaking as though his words were little more than a passing thought.

[0_0_7]

"I do. Frequently. When it's appropriate, I'll bring you along," he said. He stood nearly chest to chest with Q and looked at his eyes, then his lips.

"I was going to invite you to Rome over the holidays. And since we're going into town I'll give you this now. We can call it a test run," he said, picking up the box to give to Q. Inside was a necklace. Barely more than a collar.

"I'd like you to wear that when we leave campus together. Every time we leave campus."

[cuppa_q]

Q was silent for a beat, lifting the necklace from the box and examining it.

"Alright," he agreed. "It's lovely... Is it enchanted or charmed?" He asked as he moved to slip it around his throat.

[0_0_7]

"No, pet. It's just a gift. The colour of the jade reminded me of your eyes," he said as he wandered away to the bedroom to undress and grab a towel.

[cuppa_q]

Q was genuinely surprised to hear it- All of it. From the invite to Rome, to the comment about his eyes. He wasn't sure why, but he still assumed James didn't think of him often. That he must be little more than an amusement to the man.

The beads of the necklace were cool against his skin, and he touched them absently as he watched Bond walk away. Part of him wanted to follow, but he knew even a glimpse of the other man's skin would have him itching to be beneath him- And he was curious to see how a trip away from the school might go. No distractions, he decided. No temptations. Instead he sat at the table and waited.

[0_0_7]

Bond hadn't invited him and didn't expect him, and yet found himself a bit disappointed to be alone as he washed up. It didn't take long, he mostly just washed off the sweat. After, he had a quick shave and dressed in his room. When he finally emerged he was in dark grey trousers and a rich green jumper made of only the finest wool.

"You've waited so patiently. I do hope you're not bored," he said, the scent of his cologne wafting to Q.

[cuppa_q]

"I'm excited for our day trip," Q assured him, sitting up a bit straighter. "It'll be nice to go out for a change."

Though the way Bond looked just then... It was really hard to want to go anywhere but bed.

[0_0_7]

"Then put on your shoes and your necklace. The car is in the garage across the bridge. Come along," he said, smiling just a little indulgently.

It was remarkable just how much his feelings had grown. Q had been little more than an amusement. A plaything that he enjoyed.

Except now, bit by bit, Q was no longer a pet. No longer on a cushion at the foot of the bed. Since they'd negotiated, Bond appreciated him for who he was rather than what he was. He was bright, quick, loyal, loving. He was a shit, but he could also be quite sweet.

Nothing good could come of feelings like this for a student so he tried to keep them tamped down. But Q still warmed him inside in a way he simply wouldn't let go of.

[cuppa_q]

Q was already wearing the necklace, but slipped on his shoes and quickly followed along.

"I used to tinker with cars," he said as they walked. "I've never had my own though. I prefer to cycle."

[0_0_7]

"I started driving when I was eleven. Snow cats and plows, bobcats...heavy equipment. And then the truck, and I bought my first car on my sixteenth birthday," he said, then reminisced a bit and continued.

"It was a 1977 Aston Martin. God, she was fast. I loved that car. I put her in storage when I joined the navy and, unfortunately, the facility burned to the ground. Car and all."

[cuppa_q]

"That's awful," Q said. "You must have been terribly upset."

It was nice to hear Bond talk about himself though, to see the doors open just a little.

[0_0_7]

"For a bit. Then I bought another," he chuckled. "And another. And another. I do keep up on maintenance, but I'm terribly hard on cars."

[cuppa_q]

"...Oh," Q replied.

It hadn't really occurred to him, but it made sense that Bond came from money. Unlike himself. Q had nice things, well made clothes, high end tech- But it was all things he'd saved for. A carefully curated collection of high end goods. Pennies were never wasted.

[0_0_7]

Their footsteps crushed on the sand sprinkled on the bridge to deter any icy patches. As they reached the opposite said and entered the town, Bond casually slipped his arm around Q and guided him through a car park to a garage where a lovely silver car sat there, begging to be opened wide up on the road.

Bond waved his hand and magic shivered in the air, removing the protections from the car.

"Get in," he invited and went to the driver's seat. Inside it smelled new, but also like Bond's cologne.

[cuppa_q]

Something about this felt dangerous- Like he was crossing a line the moment he got in the car. Bond's home was one thing- It was private, unseen... This was different. People might see them together. They weren't just hiding away in bed, they were existing together in the world.

Slipping into the car, he buckled up and settled in.

"Are you a good driver?" he asked suddenly.