Harry Continued

[0_0_7]

[From here...]

Bond didn't need to be told twice. He took Harry directly to his car and without regard for police or medical, he tore away from the scene to head to his flat.

Bond didn't speak until the first red light.

"Do you plan to explain..." he began.

Comments

[lepidopterologist]

"Which part?" asked Harry. Because there were quite a few places he could start. And he hadn't really expected his revelation to Bond about Kingsmen to happen quite like this.

[0_0_7]

"Let's begin with the exceptional violence and work backward," he suggested.

[lepidopterologist]

"You're the one who pulled a gun immediately," Harry said irritably. "You might notice I didn't kill anyone."

[0_0_7]

"Quite artfully so, too," he replied. "I could have killed them. You made sure they'll frequent the NHS weekly until they die..."

[lepidopterologist]

"You were surprised," Harry said. "That I can fight. Did you think I've gotten soft and slow with my time sitting behind my desk? Expecting to see a bit of a paunch when I take off my shirt?"

[0_0_7]

"I would love to meet the man you think I am, Harry," Bond replied. "Because of all the things you assume I think...you haven't been right. Not once."

He fussed with Harry's tie, wetting his lips.

"I think..." he began, his voice soft and seductive, "...That you're a liar, though. Because you've got no reason to move like you do..."

[lepidopterologist]

"is it a lie, that I haven't told you everything about myself? Particularly considering that we've barely spoken for, what, 15 years?" Though Harry did not move away from him, not even an inch.

[0_0_7]

Bond simply looked at him.

"People who fight like you exist in files in Six's system, Harry," he pointed out.

"A lie of omission..." he purred, moving closer.

[lepidopterologist]

"got you a little hot, did it?" Harry wet his lips. "do you want an explanation now, or can it wait?"

[0_0_7]

"Do I need to know now?" he asked, aching to kiss him again.

[lepidopterologist]

"I mean, you don't need to know ever," said Harry. "But in any case I think if you haven't known for the past 15 years another.... some amount of time longer is not going to make a difference."

[0_0_7]

Something about that made Bond pause and back away slowly to look at him.

"Harry..." he said cautiously. "...What have you done?"

[lepidopterologist]

This was more like Harry had expected the evening to go of course. Though he had gotten a bit caught up in the... Well, whatever it was he felt from kissing James for the first time in a very, very long time. But apparently reality had caught back up to him.

He sighed. "Are we going to do this now then? If so, pour some scotch and point to a comfortable place to sit."

[0_0_7]

Bond took a breath as dread filled his gut and his chest. He could only think of spook after spook he'd gone had to hand with. How many killers. How many agents.

And Harry had been so against joining Six. So against it that it had been their end.

Bond unlocked his door and let Harry in to the flat.

The view was lovely, but Bond was rarely here and it showed. In fact, it looked like he'd only just moved in.

"Take the sofa," he said. "I'll get the scotch."

[lepidopterologist]

Harry sat.

Then got right to it. "What do you know about Kingsmen?" he asked.

[0_0_7]

Bond was pouring as Harry spoke and the bottle clinked the edge of the crystal.

"Kingsman?" Bond asked, turning his head sharply toward him.

[lepidopterologist]

“ yes”, said harry simply. You heard me correctly.” I take it you’re familiar.”

[0_0_7]

Bond finished pouring both before he nodded.

Harry's refusal of Six.

Harry's wealth.

Harry's body moving fluidly in combat, nothing wasted and force directly delivered.

Everything settled comfortably into place and he wasn't sure he liked it.

”Kingsman."

He brought the glass and offered it.

”Arthur?" he asked simply.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry took a drink before he responded. "Yes." He forced himself to look at him; he owed him that much. He wondered if he should be flattered that James jumped to the truth immediately, that he was the person at the top. "Q knows," he added. "Don't be upset that he kept my secrets. But that's one of the reasons I wanted to tell you."

[0_0_7]

"We all keep secrets, Harry," Bond said, moving to take his seat.

The leather club chair near the window cradled him as he leaned back and spread his knees, crystal held delicately by the fingertips. The lights shining through the window sparkled on the facets.

HIs eyes raked over him, up and down. Any and every bitter thought he'd ever had about the man evaporated like smoke as he realized not only had Harry done precisely what Bond felt he should have, he'd also beaten the money game, and used that to protect the world. Just as Bond had dreamed.

And he'd done it all and kept it secret. Secret from him.

Heat rushed to his groin.

"When did this begin?" was all he could think to ask.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry relaxed a little once it was clear that Bond wasn’t angry. He wasn’t sure what it was, but not-immediate-anger was good.

He answered truthfully. “As soon as I had enough money to do something good and realized how pointless a lot of the good is.”

[0_0_7]

There was little in the world Bond loved more than being right.

"I see," he nodded.

A breath and a sip and he scanned Harry with fresh eyes.

Arthur.

He knew the man's dossier. He knew everything about him.

Except who he was.

Until now.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry would have quibbled with Bond thinking he was right.

He looked at him for a moment and then said, "I can't tell how you're reacting to this."

[0_0_7]

Bond sat up and leaned forward, eyes on Harry.

"Pleased," he said after a beat.

And then he smiled darkly and wet his lips.

"Impressed," he added, because he knew what Harry craved. Surely that had never gone away.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry kind of hated how quickly that little smile went straight to his cock. Some things never changed.

"I thought you might be angry that I fooled you for so long," Harry said. Not deceived, fooled. He couldn't help but get in a little dig that Bond hadn't figured it out.

[0_0_7]

"Were you trying to fool...me....personally?" Bond challenged. "Were you hoping I'd be angry, Harry?"

[lepidopterologist]

Harry looked at him incredulously. "If you really think that I did all this because of you, you're even more narcissistic than I remember."

[0_0_7]

Bond chuckled darkly at that.

"Then why would you assume I'd be angry?" he asked. "No one knows who you are. That is...quite the feat."

[lepidopterologist]

"It's amazing what resources can do," Harry said.

[0_0_7]

True.

THe air between them chilled at that.

"Are you trying to poach Q?" he asked directly.

[lepidopterologist]

"I already tried," Harry said. "It didn't work. So I immediately stopped trying." Pause. "So I became intimate with him instead. I think I came out on the better end of the deal."

[0_0_7]

It was the only correct answer Harry could have given.

Bond relaxed.

"The wisest move yet," he agreed.

[lepidopterologist]

"Yes," Harry said.

He hesitated, and then added, "I was... surprised, by how you reacted to the news that he and I were involved. I thought you'd be more." Pause. "Possessive."

[0_0_7]

Bond chuckled mildly at that.

"I think trying to possess Q would be an exercise in futility," he replied.

[lepidopterologist]

"Well... yes, of course." He just hadn't expected Bond to be that self aware. He paused a beat and then added, "How do you think he would feel about..." There were a number of ways he could have filled in that blank. Finally he started with a simple one. "You kissing me?"

[0_0_7]

Bond thought about that for a moment.

"Does he need to know?" Bond asked.

Then rose.

"Because if it won't happen again, there's no need to upset him."

The way he prowled closer, it was unlikely they wouldn't kiss again.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry remained seated, looking up at him. How many times had he watched him stalking towards him just like this?

"And if it did happen again? Do you think it would upset him?"

[0_0_7]

"If we exclude him, undoubtedly," Bon replied.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry was starting to get a bit uncomfortable having Bond tower over him like this. So he got to his feet as well. "What are you suggesting? That we all share a bed again, but... for more than sleeping?"

[0_0_7]

"You're catching on, Harry," Bond said.

"Really, I think you're the only one with any reservations. If you'd rather not, neither Q nor I will force you...but surely this can't be the first moment it has ever occurred to you."

[lepidopterologist]

"It sounds like you've thought this through," said Harry. Because of course he'd thought about it. How could he not, when he was laying in bed with both of them?

[0_0_7]

"Of course I have, Harry," he replied, quite seriously.

He gently set his glass aside.

"I've been waiting for the two of you to catch up to plan," he smirked.

[lepidopterologist]

"I really thought you... hated me," Harry said, glad that he'd stood so he could at least look him in the eyes now. "Or at the very least didn't respect me."

[0_0_7]

"Did you? Really?" Bond purred softly, easing in closer.

[lepidopterologist]

"I did," said Harry quietly, even as he slid a hand onto James' waist. "Though to be fair you are naturally condescending."

[0_0_7]

"I thought that's what attracted you to me from the start," Bond quipped, barely repressing a smile.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry laughed. "That you thought that explains so much."

He was so close...

[0_0_7]

Bond's smile twitched, ever so slightly and his head tilted, just so.

"I don't know why you ever thought I hated you," he said then, his voice softer.

Vulnerable...a bit.

"I missed you."

[lepidopterologist]

Harry swallowed hard. "I missed you, too."

And this time, he was the one who initiated the kiss, sliding both arms around Bond's waist and pulling him close.