Harry and Q

[0_0_7]

Harry had made the arrangements and Bond and Q arrived just on time to the restaurant where they found Harry waiting with wine. As soon as they sat, a server brought a lovely amuse.

Bond wore a dark blue suit, white shirt and a blue tie Q favoured. Beneath his clothes, he had worn a ring to keep himself in check. One day he'd prove to Harry he didn't need it, that he could find a bit of self discipline, but so far he'd proven otherwise.

And this dinner was certainly not going to go the way the last one had.

He waited for Q to sat, then sat as well.

"I've been looking forward to this all day," he remarked.

Comments

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

Q was wearing the only suit he owned that wasn't too large, resisting the urge to touch the hidden collar around his neck. Instead he fixed his tie, then his glasses as he picked up a menu and nodded.

"So have I," he assured them both.

[lepidopterologist]

God, Harry thought as they watched them approach. How did he deserve this?

He rose too on instinct until both of them sat, and smiled warmly when he sat back down.

"And I," he said. "It's nice for... all of us to be here together."

[0_0_7]

"I understand the dessert chef is on loan from Vienna," Bond mentioned casually.

Of course he'd done recon. Bond may seem spontaneous, but only because he'd planned for every contingency beforehand.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"Is there something special I should order?" Q asked them both. "I mean, are they known for something..."

He always felt out of his depths in places like this.

[lepidopterologist]

"Anything that sounds vaguely German," Harry said pleasantly. "I've only been here once, so I'm probably less of an expert than Bond, who has probably been staking it out for a week."

[0_0_7]

"Not the entire week," Bond protested with a smile.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"Just the last 70-odd hours, hmm?" Q suggested, sharing an amused smile with Harry.

[lepidopterologist]

"Perhaps you can suggest a starter for us to share, James," Harry said.

Since they all had wine now, he also held up his glass. "And perhaps we toast to... new beginnings."

[0_0_7]

"To new beginnings," Bond smiled.

This time he was determined not to ruin it.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"New beginnings," Q agreed with a little smile, clinking their glasses and taking a sip.

He so badly wanted things to go right this time.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry was thinking much the same thing.

Also for a moment he was struggling to think of something to say that wasn't about work. And finally settled on, "I saw today that the London Butterfly Garden is opening a new area dedicated to tropical insects soon," just as the waiter approached.

[0_0_7]

Bond took Harry's suggestion as a command and ordered the starter, then the entrees. He did look to Harry and Q to confirm his choices were acceptable.

"I think you'll both be delighted," he said.

When the server left, he jumped right back into the topic.

"The butterflies in the Amazon are gorgeous. I'm sure the exhibit would tell me their names, hmm?" he asked.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"I've never been," Q admitted. "Zoos, aquariums... I always say I'm going to go to these places, and I never quite make it. I've been to most of the museums now though."

[lepidopterologist]

“I’m sure the exhibit has labels, with photos, though…” Harry looked a touch sheepish. “I can probably identify them for you. I’d love to take you both there.”

[0_0_7]

"That sounds delightful," Bond smiled.

"It'll have to be better than my last wildlife encounter," he added with a chuckle.

Q had lost a very good gun to the komodo dragon in Shanghai, but that wasn't the part that amused him.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"Yes, well, one would hope you're not planning on bringing a gun to a butterfly exhibit," Q replied, raising a brow. "It does sound nice though, Harry. A day out."

[lepidopterologist]

"I really don't want to know what you did at the wildlife exhibit," Harry said with a snort.

[0_0_7]

"Survived, mostly," Bond mumbled into his glass as he took a sip.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"At least you brought Eve back in one piece. ...Or she brought you home. I'm still not clear on how that played out," Q admitted.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry glanced at Bond and said, "Well, anything that happened was certainly before it was under my jurisdiction."

[0_0_7]

"I promise I won't shoot the bugs," Bond told Harry, smiling at that thought rather than linger on memories of the prior M.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"You should try and get that in writing," Q quipped to Harry.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry chuckled. “I confess though, as much as I would not want to see it, shooting a quickly moving target that small would be an impressive feat.”

The server returned with their first course then, and Harry looked pleased.

[0_0_7]

"I'm not sure I could do that," Bond chuckled warmly. "I recognize my limitations."

It was truly remarkable that he said that, out loud, like it was the truth.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

Q raised a brow at that, but he didn't comment. Though he did finally try his drink.

"Mmm, that's nice," he noted.