Q - Fountain of Youth

[provocateur_king]

True to his word, Bond found Tanner who was much the same despite being a bright eyed young lad. Bond gave the order and then watched as the crew managed to finally drop anchor.

He hoped Q was right and this would wear off. The entire crew couldn't hoist it again.

He took off his hat as he entered the chamber to find Q, smiling when he saw what the young man had done.

"We're steady," he said.

Comments

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"Good," Q said quietly. "Because you were all I ever wanted."

He nudged Bond towards the bed, wanting to just sit with him.

[provocateur_king]

He took one more drink and then put his glass down to follow.

At the edge of the bed, he took hold of Q's hips. He held him there, held him close.

"I don't tell you I love you nearly enough," he said. "I do. Always."

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"Love you too," Q said quietly, resting his forehead against James'.

"I wish we could relax like this when things weren't so upside down," he confessed.

[provocateur_king]

"I'm not certain I'm capable...but it would be nice," he said softly, closing his eyes.

"To take some time. Uninterrupted..."

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"Alone," Q whispered. "I like when you make me yours, for days on end."

It was the only time he felt like he could stop thinking and working. The only time he ever really let go.

His hand slipped under Bond's shirt, fingers splaying over skin... And he knew he shouldn't, not while they were stuck like this in the flesh of their youth, but... It was just a touch, and they were men. They were. Even if everything felt jumbled right now.

[provocateur_king]

"When we stop in port and I lock the door?" he asked, his own hands catching Q's arms, then following to hold his wrists, keeping his hands against Bond's skin.

The captain wet his lips.

"No game we ever played when you were young," he said.

Not that he believed. But there had been times when Q had first joined when Bond would take him ashore and not let him out of his sight. He'd kept Q at his side, day and night on land.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

Q shivered a bit, shaking his head.

"Not a game I'd have understood when I was young," he admitted.

Now he understood it well. It wasn't a threat or a punishment, it was mercy. An invitation to stop being Q for just a little while.

"You always knew what was best for me," he admitted, palms still pressed against warm skin as he settled against Bond again. Content to just be near. This body was built to play chase and cards, not the games they played now.

[provocateur_king]

"I've only ever wanted to make you feel safe, Q. You understand that, right?" he asked softly.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"And you do," Q assured him. "I always feel safe with you, James. I always did."

[provocateur_king]

Bond pulled him close to embrace him and bent to press a kiss to his hair.

"I do adore you," he said softly.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

Q didn't mean to get so emotional, but he couldn't seem to help it as he hid his face against Bond's chest. Tears pricked at his eyes, but they were happy tears. Truly.

"Sorry," he said quietly. "I don't know why I'm being so... I adore you too."

[provocateur_king]

Bond reached to lift Q's chin to get him to look at him. Once he met his eyes, he smiled.

"I love you, beyond what any reasonable man should. If you believe nothing else, Q, believe that."

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

Q nodded, holding James a little tighter before letting go. Though his hands never fully left James.

"It's strange though, being in this body again. Being near Hex... Even being near Harry woke all these feelings I'd forgotten. I had a crush when I was young. An embarrassing one at that."

[provocateur_king]

"Again, Q, I'm aware," Bond said.

He guided Q gently to the bed to sit and hold him close.

"I was aware then, and it was obvious this morning."

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"Nothing ever happened though. Some fumbling and kissing... But it never went past that," Q promised. "But... There was one person."

[provocateur_king]

"One of the crew?" Bond asked, genuinely a bit shocked.

He'd watched so closely.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"No. Um... You know our new guests?" Q asked awkwardly. "Well, um, I actually met Jack some time ago. My seventeenth birthday... We'd made port, and I'd saved up for that room of my own..."

[provocateur_king]

Rarely was Bond surprised. Never was Bond speechless.

And yet Q's words whirled around in his head leaving him utterly dumb, unsure if he should simply kill the man or ask something more.

He was certain he didn't want to know more. "

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"He was handsome, and sweet... And I was lonely," Q explained when Bond said nothing.

[provocateur_king]

Confusion flashed on his brow.

"Are you unhappy with him now?" he asked. "Nothing you're saying is endearing me to someone eating my rations..."

There was tension in his jaw as he thought of the smiling dolt and his vampire companion. They could both easily go overboard.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"He has a partner, Bond," Q replied, frowning. "He's not interested in me now. I'm not interested in him. I just... I just don't like keeping it from you. And it was a big event for me."

[provocateur_king]

It was only Q's raw vulnerability that tamed the jealousy that would happily see both passengers off the ship, regardless of land.

He reached for the young man's cheek and looked in his eyes.

"I wish you'd invited me to your room," he said.

He'd have said no. The Bond who didn't know what Q had ultimately done would have absolutely brushed the boy off. But now...now he wished.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"You wouldn't have come," Q said quietly. "I tried to tempt you, so many times... I thought one day you'd snap and just have me, but you never did. You never would."

[provocateur_king]

"I nearly did. So many times," he confessed. "I couldn't. Not until we stood eye to eye."

Bond would always be the captain, but the Quartermaster, with his own power, was much more on equal footing.

[bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin]

"I understand that now, but at the time... I just wanted you. I wanted to be yours, James."