When he returned to M16, Bond made his way toward the Q Branch, keeping his eyes peeled for the Quartermaster. He wasn't sure how Q would take the news, and he was excited to find out. Suddenly James heard an impatient voice behind him.
"Bond! Where have you been?! I called you multiple times! You think just because you're 007 that you can just stroll in here whene-"
"Q! Just the man I've been looking for!" Bond turned around to face his colleague, "You have a date tonight."
"M has a new mission for you, I have some new toys for y-," he realized what the agent had just said and paused to process it, "Beg your pardon?"
Bond was already enjoying this, "You have a date tonight. It's all been arranged, you just have to show up."
"007, I'm not quite sure this is a good idea," Q was running his hand through his mop of dark hair.
"Oh, come on, it'll be fun. You two have plenty in common. She's a nerd too," James said as he put a hand on Q's shoulder. Q jumped and struggled to hold his mug with both hands protectively because he had begun to shake furiously.
"She enjoys writing computer programs that could shut down all of London?"
"Oh, no, different kind of nerd. Math nerd. She's a teacher at Tenison's down the street."
Q shook Bond's hand off, "Teacher or mad scientist, I'm no good with women, 007."
Why didn't this surprise Bond? Shaking his head, he came up with a plan, "Well, consider yourself very lucky, my boy, that you have me as your dating coach."
"Can't you just go on this date? At least you won't screw it up," Q suggested.
"That won't do; she wants to go on a date with you. Lesson number one: Give women what they want."
Q looked at his watch; it was only nine o'clock. It was going to be a very long day.
Bond spent the day in Q's office, leaning back in a desk chair with his feet on Q's desk. Surprised that Q had seemed to have calmed down so quickly after his initial reaction, Bond was trying to keep the nerves going; he found it entertaining that a silly little date could get someone so worked up. James pestered the Quartermaster with questions and criticisms as much as he could.
Meanwhile, Q worked on decoding new information that would be needed for 007's next mission, trying to ignore his colleague's stupid questions and tips. He picked up his mug for a sip of freshly made Earl Gray. Tea was to Q as coffee was to most other employees of M16, and he didn't mind being different; they didn't pay much attention to him anyway since he was so much younger than them.
His drink was interrupted by Bond's voice, "You're not going to drink that tonight are you?"
Q sighed and set down his cup, "Yes. Just despite the fact that you don't want me to, yes I am going to drink tea tonight. Do you mind? I'm trying to get this done for you."
"You have such nerve giving me attitude from behind your computer. Whatever will you do when you don't have your precious machine in front of you at dinner?"
"She's a teacher, why does what I drink matter?! She probably drinks it herself, you know," Q added, taking another sip and continuing to let his fingers dance across the keyboard.
"Okay, lesson number two: don't drink something that she would drink herself," Bond wasn't sure if he should tell his grasshopper the truth yet, but he decided to go for it, "Q, I guess you should know…"
Rolling his eyes, Q replied, "What? She's married? She has four eyes?"
Bond was irritated by this boy's responses so he figured the details weren't that important, "She really won't appreciate your rude temperament. Let that be lesson number three. If you don't think you need my help, fine. I'll leave you to your work then. I can't wait to watch you make a complete fool out of yourself later tonight."
Even as Bond stormed out of the room, Q's fingers never slowed down. It wasn't until 007 had left Q Branch that the Quartermaster stopped and looked away from the rows of numbers in the screen.
"Shit," Q realized he actually needed Bond's help if this date was going to be any form of success. He pushed his chair away from the desk and ran out of his office to hunt down the agent. Luckily, Q didn't have to go far; in fact, he nearly ran into 007 when Bond stepped around the corner directly into Q's path. Q jerked back, straightening his hair and glasses.
James smiled cunningly, "Q."
Q couldn't believe his next words, "I need your help."
A/N: I wanted to do more with this chapter, but I've had a bad case of the writer's block. So I'm uploading what I have and after exams are done, I'll keep working on it. Thank you to my loyal readers!
