III

Movie


Perhaps the turning point in their relationship was the day Bond crashed into Q's flat.

Literally.

Bond hadn't meant to; in fact, he was running from three men who had captured him in their search for the MI6 Quartermaster, and Bond managed to convince them that the quartermaster was female and married. Quite the opposite from the truth, and the best he could do at a moment's notice. Then, noticing an open, lit window on a nearby flat, he easily scaled the wall and slipped inside, hoping that the occupant wouldn't mind playing along with Bond and pretending that Bond was a errant flatmate.

As soon as he got inside though, Bond met a ball of spitting fur and claws.

"Christ!" he shouted, jumping reflexively back to the safety of the windowsill.

Thunk!

He looked up to find that he was in someone's living room, a frozen image from X-Men: First Class on the television screen with the Pause symbol in the upper left hand corner. He blinked when Q came in, holding a small handgun. The quartermaster's panicked expression disappeared when he saw Bond. "Missy, come here girl," he said, tucking the gun away and kneeling. Bond watched in amazement as the angry furball moved obediently away from the window and jumped onto the quartermaster. "All right, double-oh seven, it's safe to come in now. The big scary kitty won't hurt you," he said, slightly mockingly as Bond warily slipped into the flat. "And how the hell did you climb eight floors?" he added, eyes widening when he realized where Bond was climbing down from. "And didn't you get captured earlier today? We've been searching for you all day and Eve made me leave-"

"Too many window ledges. And the men were looking for you, not me. I told them you were female and already married, so as far as anyone is concerned, we're flatmates," he said, closing the window behind him. He paused when he spotted the still puffy animal, and then said, "What the hell is that?"

"That is a cat, and her name is Missy. She was Mum's before I took her. I figured that since I never have visitors and any partners don't stay long, it wouldn't be an issue having Missy with me," Q said, nodding toward the couch. "Sit down. If we're going to pretend to be flatmates in case your troublemakers show up, I can at least finish my movie."

Bond did as told, settling down on the couch at a safe distance from Missy's claws, and raised an eyebrow as Q started the film again. "I have to admit, this wasn't a favorite of mine because of the reboot," he said, watching as Xavier shoved Havok off the satellite dish.

"You've seen this? Impressive. I figured you wouldn't have the interest or time," Q said, adjusting Missy so that she was on his opposite shoulder from Bond. "I've already seen it before, but I'm re-watching it for the Marvel Movie Marathon on Tumblr."

"The what?"

"Long story, but on Tumblr, a group of Marvel fans decided to have a movie marathon and watch every single film ever produced with Marvel characters if not Marvel studios. Including the bad ones. You lose if you either miss a film or refuse to watch it, and winner gets the Phase 1 DVD box set. And since Eve threatened to shoot me if she caught me trying to find you again, I suddenly had all this free time this evening."

"'Again'? How many times have you ever searched for me in the six months we've been working together?" Bond asked, raising an eyebrow.

Q stiffened. "I am concerned, reasonably so, about the state of my equipment whenever you leave headquarters with it," he said stiffly.

"Q?"

"What?"

Bond smirked. "I didn't have any of your equipment tonight."

"Forgive me then, for being concerned for your welfare. God forbid anyone ever do that," Q replied, shoulders tensing.

"In that case-"

"Just shut up and watch the film or you can hold the cat," Q snapped, the tips of his ears turning pink as he stared stubbornly ahead.

He only relaxed infinitesimally when Bond moved a little closer to him on the couch; Bond wasn't good with words, but there was something… nice about knowing that there was someone watching out for him without an ulterior motive.


A/N: Day Three: Watching a movie together.