007 shook his head. "I have no idea how the gun broke, Q."

"No idea?" Q said dryly. "You just picked it up and it was broken?"

"Right," James said with a quick nod. "Really, it must have been one of those terrorists who broke it. It wasn't me."

"If I had a pound for every time I heard that from you, I'd have...er, well, I'd have a lot of pounds." Q stammered, silently cursing himself for not being wittier. 007 possessed the uncanny ability to make Q absolutely tongue tied. "You never bring anything back in one piece."

"It's just not my style." Bond shrugged lazily. "In any event, I've returned your gadgets and now i'm going home. Have a good night."

Q briefly imagined Bond's apartment. There was an address in Bond's file and even though he knew it was unethical, Q had drove past it a few times. It was nice apartment complex in a nice district. He imagined the inside to be large and spacious, with only a few pieces of expensive furniture and a fully stocked bar. Bond's place wouldn't be complete without a huge bed to fuck in, would it? Possibly a sex swing and a few chains hanging around, too.

"Oh, wait." Bond stopped short, interrupting Q's daydream. "I need a gun."

Q arched his eyebrow. "Yes, I suppose you do, since you broke the one you had."

Bond smiled that knee-shaking smile and Q wanted to punch him in the face. Sometimes he thought Bond knew exactly how Q felt about him and played on that attraction to get what he wanted.

"I'll give you a new one when you come in tomorrow." Q turned back to his computer.

"Tomorrow?" Bond's voice was almost shrill. "You expect me to go back to my apartment with no weapon? You've got to be joking."

"And you expect me to believe you don't have several guns at your apartment?" Q countered.

"Maybe...you know me so well."

Q refused to look up, even though he was having to clench every muscle in his entire body to stop himself from looking at Bond. Don't look up. Don't look up. Don't look up and see that smile that makes you weak. He flirts with everything. You saw him flirt with a dog yesterday.

Bond rolled his eyes. "Are you really not going to issue me another gun? What if I run into a terrorist on the way home?"

Q sighed heavily. "007, I can issue you another gun, but it won't be a Walther. I'll have to wait until in the morning to get one of those and I know it's your favorite." He mentally kicked himself again. Could you sound more like a twelve-year-old girl? 'It's your favorite?'. Really, Nathan? That's the best you could do?

It was Bond's turn to sigh. "Fine, I'll wait until tomorrow. But if I die before I reach my flat, it's on your conscience."

"Noted." Q watched him walk away. Shoulders back, head held high, stride steady. He wondered what it was like to possess so much confidence, so much...life.

Q left MI6 an hour later. He often pulled longer hours at the office, but he did have a date after all. A first date, at that. Aren't first dates the most important?

He couldn't keep his mind off Bond. Even standing in his closet, his thoughts went back to him. How well tailored his suits were. "I'm sure he never has a problem finding clothes to wear," Q muttered to himself as he held up a pair of pants. "It's all suits. With the occasional tuxedo. Lather, rinse, repeat. And he looks perfect all the time."

Q held up a red cardigan and looked in the mirror. "Ugh, not this. Maybe a blue one would be better..." he rifled through his closet again. "And your bloody New Year's resolution was to quit talking to yourself and yet here you are doing it again."

He pulled on the blue cardigan and gave himself the once over. Better. He wasn't exactly a veteran dater. He had dated some in University, even had a few actual relationships. But ever since he was hired to Q branch, dating had stopped. Completely. The second he was sent to an art gallery to meet 007, the dating stopped.

When he saw Bond for the first time, his breath halted and he swallowed hard. Hands down, he was the most gorgeous man Q had ever seen. Bond's obvious disdain for him when they first met didn't damper Q's attraction to him.

It was Bond's nature- that dangerous, flirtatious, destructive nature- that drew him in and refused to let him go. Bond's quips and barbs about his age were always followed with crooked smirks and smiles that would make a nun quiver. Their friendship was based on their respect for each other's job- Bond was the trained killer and Q was the brains.

Q knew he was walking a dangerous line. Many a person had fallen for James and ended up dead, crazy, or broken beyond repair. Having a huge crush on a co-worker was never a good idea. Especially a co-worker who was so damaged AND straight. Q wasn't even sure Bond knew he was gay. Q had certainly never brought it up in conversation.

He sprayed some cologne on his wrists and grabbed a coat. The date was set up through a friend- a good friend who had a friend who would be great for Q, blah blah. "Well, here's hoping he will at least be cute." Q locked the front door behind him.

He was cute. Not in a Bond way- God, Bond is really not the cute type at all- drop dead smoldering hot would be a better description- but in a good looking guy way. He was nicely dressed and picked a good restaurant- Italian food with great wine. Justin- the date- was a lawyer.

"A lawyer is such a good job!" Q's mum's voice trilled in his head. Definitely the kind of guy his mother would want for him. They talked about movies and music. He found himself only thinking about Bond once or twice. He tried to steer the conversation away from his job- so much of it was shrouded in secrecy, anyway.

"I'd like to see you again, Nathan," Justin said as they stood outside the restaurant. "Maybe I can cook dinner for you sometime. I make an excellent steak."

"Really?" Q smiled. "I do love steak...I might take you up on that."

Justin smiled back and Q knew it was the right time for a kiss. Justin moved toward him and he almost leaned into him, ready for the kiss.

But then he thought about Bond's smile that afternoon, that smile that broke hearts and removed panties. Those brilliant blue eyes sparkling while they argued over the Walther.

Q's heart twisted painfully and he took a step back. "I...I...sorry."

"Bad breakup?" Justin asked knowingly.

"Er...something along those lines." Q lied. "I...I like to take things slow. Is that okay?"

Justin smiled. "Old fashioned, huh? I like that."

Q slowly undressed and stepped in the shower. Justin seemed like a perfectly nice guy. But there was no way he could ever have a relationship with anyone if he didn't stop thinking about Bond.

He closed the eyes and let the water pour over his head. He imagined Bond stepping in behind him and laying kisses all over his neck. He imagined him shoving him against the wall of the shower and...

After Q came, he flopped down naked on his bed. "Well, at least I get to see him in the morning."

He had no idea what the next day would bring.