AU - On THe Third Day

[provocateur_king]

On the morning of the third day, Bond had ordered his men to prepare the cannons. Q had promised and Bond expected delivery.

When the wizard didn't come for breakfast, Bond was irritated. He paced and fumed, but he waited.

Until he could wait no longer. They were going to miss the tide.

"Q!: he shouted, pounding soundly on the wizard's chamber door before throwing it open.

"You promised three days!" he shouted to the man still abed.

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[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"I don't know," Q admitted, voice cracking slightly. Because truthfully, he didn't care that it was 'wrong', it hadn't stopped him from laying with others.

"I don't know what's stopping me," he admitted quietly.

[provocateur_king]

Bond took a half a step forward and slipped his hand against Q's waist.

"It would be easier, wouldn't it? If I had you? Here, right now. If I gave you no choice. Then you'd be blameless, and your heart would be spared," he said, soft and low.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

Q didn't want to admit it, but Bond was spot on, and he looked away rather than answer.

Yes, it would be easier if Bond just pushed, if he made it so Q could tell himself it wasn't romantic, it wasn't even his choice. Q wasn't sure how he felt about resting all the weight on Bond though. As easy as it was to bicker with the man, or grow annoyed with him, he didn't want to burden him.

"I don't usually read romance," he said finally. "It's not my genre."

[provocateur_king]

Bond was close, close enough to kiss, but he only hovered there.

"You'll come to me, Q. You'll come to me in time. When you shed the Church. When you face your fear. You'll come to me," he said.

Then he slowly pulled his hand free.

"Sleep. We'll be to Lonely Island around noon."

It was taking every ounce of control to not throw Q to the bed. He wanted him. Wanted to taste him. Make him cry out.

But he wouldn't be resented. Not by Q.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

Q looked upset, turning and leaving without another word.

Slinging off to his hammock, he curled back up hoping that when they woke, he'd be home.

He missed John. He needed John right now.

[provocateur_king]

The next morning, Bond was on deck, spyglass to his eye. He could make out the highest peak of the Lonely Island now that the sun was high enough. Barely high enough. The days were getting darker.

"Tanner, full sails. I want to be there before mid day," he ordered as he tucked the glass away. "Come into the wizard's harbor. We'll take the longboat ashore."

"Very good, sir," Tanner answered.

"He might even be awake by then," Bond chuckled.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

Q slept late, as he often did, pulling himself out of bed and dressing smartly, hopeful they'd see John today.

Shuffling out onto the deck he wandered over to Bond.

"How long?" he asked quietly.

[provocateur_king]

Bond pointed at the island growing larger with every minute.

"Long enough for breakfast," he said. "I don't know if there's any left, but there will be tea. Come."

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

Q didn't want to eat on the ship anyway. He wanted something from his own kitchen. ...Well, John's kitchen. It wasn't his home anymore, he supposed.

He followed along after Bond, not sure why he felt so nervous about seeing John suddenly.

[provocateur_king]

There were scones left and hot tea. He got his cup and waited for Q.

"Do you want to watch us land?" he asked. "We'll be taking a longboat to shore. Like we did before."

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"Sure," Q said, hesitating a beat. "...You're going to be nice to John, right?"

[provocateur_king]

"Do you think I came here to pick a fight?" he chuckled.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"I don't know what you're doing, ever," Q assured him.

[provocateur_king]

"I'm as kind to John as he'll tolerate. He dislikes me, that much is apparent, but he's a good ally to have," he explained.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"Won't be pleased to hear you stole his little brother then," Q replied.

[provocateur_king]

"Displeased, but not surprised," he said. "I'm not sure if John actually likes anyone."

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"He likes me," Q said softly.

[provocateur_king]

THat got Bond to look at him. To study the young man for a moment as he looked toward the only home he'd known.

"He does like you," Bond said. "He's...very protective."

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"Do you think?" Q asked. "I never thought of him as over protective, he always looked after me, but he was encouraging..."

[provocateur_king]

"He told me when I came back that if I bothered you again, he'd call a monster to sink my ship and devour me, personally," he replied.

"I'm wary of what he'll do today. Perhaps you should go ashore alone."

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"Wait, what do you mean 'when you came back'? When did you... You never came back," Q insisted.

[provocateur_king]

"When you were twelve," he answered.

"John stopped me on the path. He never let me close. And, looking back, he was right. You're so much more than you might have been."

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"But I wanted to see you," Q said quietly. "I wanted..."

He trailed off, looking away.

"He had no right."

[provocateur_king]

"He was doing exactly what I expected him to do when I brought you here. He was protecting you," Bond replied.

He harbored no resentment toward the wizard. In fact, in hindsight, John had been right.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"He knew I wanted to see you," Q argued. "He knew I-"

He cut himself off.

John had known Q had a crush on Bond.