Trying not to laugh too much into his drink, James shakes his head for a few moments and looks at the bartender, glad that he's at least starting to dry out from his run earlier, though he will need a bit of a shower when he gets back to the bungalow. "Not as lucky as you might think. I have more than my fair share of faults and lets just say I had a rather colorful past when it came to relationships before." He says with a smirk over his drink at her. "I admit we even had a bit of a row about that a few days ago in the restaurant." He makes sure to keep in character and shakes his head sadly, even though he knows that the entire fight back then was fake, even if Q's insecurities about Bond's relationships are real.
The bartender just makes a doubtful noise before she chuckles a little, brushing her dark hair behind her shoulder slowly. "Well that's too bad, I wish I had met you before you met him, it sounds like you would have been very interesting.." She says with a bit more flirtatiousness in her tone than she had previously.
Alarm bells go off in James' mind, he knows this type of woman, and now that she knows he has been previously interested in women, not even him saying his husband has jealousy issues is enough to scare her off flirting. Slowly getting up off the stool, Bond nods a little. "In another life, perhaps. But not this one." He says very pointedly, leaving a tip before he grabs his jacket and slips it on, turning to head out of the bar and out of the main building, feeling the immediate desire to head back to his boffin, even if the younger man is sleeping.
The drizzle which stopped right before he went inside has resumed in a downpour, making Bond shake his head as he starts to run through the rain back toward the bungalow, removing jacket and shoes once he's under the overhang by the front door, socks quickly following. He manages to let himself into the little hut with a minimum of sound, noticing that the young man is still asleep, but the movie has been changed to something else. Was he really out that long? After glancing at the clock, James confirms that yes, he was indeed out that long, and silently makes his way to the shower to warm himself up, leaving the door open as both blatant invitation and so he can hear if Q has another one of his coughing fits.
By the time James comes out, he starts noticing that they're getting low on clothes, so gathers most of what he knows are dirty clothes into a laundry bag, calling up to the front desk to request a laundry service, also to make arrangements for an extended stay. Luckily because it is the rainy season they aren't exactly booked up and are more than happy to have someone stay longer in one of their more expensive rooms. He merely tells them to charge it to the card that they have on file, smirking as he imagines the look on M's face when he realizes that Bond and Q's vacation will be on MI6's dime. Let them take it out of his pay, he's never home long enough to actually enjoy his money anyway.
Finally, he moves out into the main room with the laundry bag, arching an eyebrow when he sees the brunette sitting up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket still, but long fingers tapping away at his laptop which has moved into his lap. "You're supposed to be resting." He points out as he drags the white bag over to the door and leans it against the wall beside it slowly.
"I am resting." Q shoots back without looking up from his laptop. "I had this lovely idea for a piece of tech that you may appreciate, I don't know why I didn't think of it before. Of course, I'll still have to work quite hard on it, this is something that may take years to develop, depending on how clever the R&D and myself are." He sighs a little, then shrugs one shoulder. "Or it may never work at all and may just be the result of the remnants of my fever. Either way, it's hardly strenuous to be typing on a computer while sitting immobile on a rather plush couch." Q points out as he finally glances up at the agent for a moment, before he looks back down at his laptop.
Intrigued but also wanting to see if any of Q's work needs to be saved before he tries to get the boffin off of his laptop, James walks over and sits down beside him, leaning over a bit to look at the screen. "So what is it, then?" he asks curiously.
Turning a grin to Bond as his fingers pause on the keyboard, Q seems rather triumphant. "A directed energy weapon, much more effective than a taser, and somewhat more contained. Same effect, at least for one of the settings at least. The power supply is the problem, as well as regulation, and as I said, it may take years but it would be highly useful. Especially if I can figure out a way where you won't have to reload the energy packs, it would make you less vulnerable to needing bullets. Not to mention less expensive if MI6 can stop buying so many bullets."
"What, you mean like a Phaser, from Star Trek?" The double-oh asks, eyebrows arching over startling blue eyes, his hair still damp from his shower which makes it look darker blonde, the way it might have when he was much younger, but years in the sun with little to no protection has lightened it a bit.
More than a little stunned at Bond's knowledge of popular culture, Q turns his head a little to stare at James. "You know what Star Trek is.. enough to be able to know a phaser is a directed energy weapon?" He asks, a little shocked as he stares at the older man, fingers completely stilling over the keys.
Rolling his eyes a little, James smirks, "I do spend quite a bit of time in hotel rooms before or after missions, and I am not always shagging someone, you know. I've been doing this of quite a while, so yes, I have become aware of that particular science fiction titan." He says with a little shake of his head, reaching out to take one of Q's hands in his own, briefly testing his pulse and the temperature of his skin, glad to know the fever has gone down, it's almost nonexistent now. He places a soft kiss on the inside of Q's wrist, hoping to distract him so he can snatch the laptop.
Giving a small sigh and lifting his free hand to adjust his glasses, Q watches his agent with a certain amount of amusement. "Honestly, James. Can you not keep your hands to yourself for ten minutes, or do you merely enjoy annoying me?" He asks as he looks at the man sitting next to him.
"Hmm. Perhaps a little of both. It's really not fair that you're so very attractive. I'm surprised none of your own department tried to make a move on you. You're a boffin's wet dream." Bond teases with a little smirk as he looks up at Q, kissing his wrist again gently for a moment, making as if he's going to lean over Q, but instead he snaps his laptop shut, never breaking eye contact.
Thankfully out of habit, Q had already saved his work, but he still gives Bond a rather miffed look. "That could have been important." He objects as he watches the older man. For a moment, he hesitates, then slowly leans over and places a soft, chaste kiss against the agent's lips, enjoying the sensation for a moment before he pulls back and merely just watches the man before him. "You are going to be so very distracting, aren't you?" He asks softly, chuckling lightly. "Am I going to have to ban you from Q branch in between missions?
"No." James says quietly, thrilled that Q initiated a kiss, he feels like he's been the one completely pursuing Q throughout this entire trip, and while the boffin has been responsive, he hasn't exactly pounced James. "Well, I might be a little distracting. I have to make sure your minions aren't getting the wrong idea, thinking they can hit on you or try and bribe you." he says with a little smirk as he watches the younger man, leaning in for another quick peck.
Shaking his head slowly, Q sighs a little. "You are incorrigible, James." he scolds lightly but there's an affectionate smile on his face all the same, putting his free hand on the middle of the agent's chest. "Mmm. No more kissing. We can't have you getting sick as well." he points out in a firm tone.
"You really do take some of the fun out of things." Bond says with a dramatic sigh, still holding Q's wrist in one hand, the other sneaking out to simultaneously pull the power cord out of Q's laptop, and snag it off the younger man's lap. "But you are still sick, so go back to resting." he says as he releases the brunette's wrist at last, standing with the laptop in hand casually as he tries to figure out where to hide it.
Jaw dropping a little in surprise as Bond nick's his laptop, Q frowns a little and then sighs. "Bond, give me back my laptop, that's very sensitive equipment." He says as he gets up as well, blankets falling away, making goose bumps rise over his skin as he holds out his hand demandingly for the laptop.
Seeming to be considering it for a few moments, James looks at the laptop, then shakes his head. "No. You need to rest. This is not resting." he says as he waves the laptop around a little.
Apparently having the flu reduces Q's response to things like this to that of a pre-pubescent, causing him to merely lunge for the laptop to try and snatch it back. "Give it back." he demands, trying to keep from sounding like a petulant child, though he doesn't quite manage it.
Highly amused by this childish side to Q that seems to have been brought out, the blonde agent keeps the laptop out of reach of his quartermaster, taking a few steps back. "I said no, Q. Now sit back down, and get some rest. I'll make you something to eat." He offers, trying to resolve this peacefully without resorting to petty bickering.
Q is not having any of that, though, he is looking more and more vexed, taking a few calm steps forward before he lunges once, then twice for the laptop, only to have James keep it out of reach each time. "James bloody Bond, give me my laptop!" He growls out in frustration.
Determined green eyes meet playful blue, and this time Bond dances back and away when Q reaches for the laptop. Just like that, two adults dissolve into children and into a game of keep-away. James movements are smooth and graceful as he keeps the laptop out of Q's reach, jumping around the coffee table before being backed toward the bedroom as the lanky Quartermaster stumbles and chases after the double-oh, trying to snatch back what's his. Of course, this leads them on a merry chase around the room, until a false step sends them both tumbling onto the bed, Bond managing to maintain his grip on the laptop so it's not harmed, grunting as Q lands partially on top of him, his free arm locked around the younger man's waist.
"Well now, isn't this an interesting situation to find ourselves in.." James teases as he looks up at the boffin, lifting his head to place a kiss at the corner of his lips, releasing the laptop where it is sitting on the other side of the bed to bring the hand down to fix Q's glasses.
Struggling to free his hands and get the under him a little so he's not got all his weight on Bond, Q gives him a disgruntled look. "This is all your fault, my laptop had better not be damaged." he grumbles, not even softening at the kiss at first. But finally, knowing he's probably not contagious anymore anyway, he turns his head and places a soft kiss on the firm lips of the agent beneath him, letting it linger for a moment. "That was not a very good way to get me to rest." he admits before he finally relaxes, adjusting his body so that he's a little more comfortable, allowing one hand to slide down, pulling the agent's shirt up a little before he starts to brush soft touches over his skin, tracing the scars slowly.
For a few moments, Bond isn't sure what to say, this new, tactile side to Q throwing him for a loop for a few moments. Then he just adjusts to the new position of his t-shirt, and continues to hold his quartermaster. "What's this? Giving yourself over to the Dark Side, Q?" he asks with a little smirk.
Of course, the Star Wars reference just sets Q to giggling, hiding his face against James's shoulder for a moment. "A Star Wars reference? Really, James?" He asks with a crooked grin as he lifts his eyes to the double-oh's, adjusting his glasses a little to be able to see him better. "Well, I suppose you are old enough to have seen the original run." he teases, relaxing and finding that he feels much happier than he has in quite a long while, and a part of him doesn't want to leave this haven that they have somehow formed here.
"I'm still wondering if we're violating child-labor laws by employing you. Imagine what your virgin eyes and ears must have seen and heard this past year." James says playfully in return, slowly releasing Q a little to trail his fingers up and down Q's side, enjoying the jump of his muscles under the agent's fingers.
Q just grunts a little and glances up at Bond. "If you had your way, nothing about me would be virgin." he points out with a slight smirk before he nestles back down against the other man, fingers sliding up under Bond's shirt a little more, finding the raised lines of his scars and touching each one, committing them to memory.
Making a little, noncommittal sound, James lowers his head and kisses Q's hair gently for a few moments. "Maybe." He mumbles into the dark curls. "Then again, this stage is always fun, too. The flirting, the playfulness..." he admits softly, not having been in enough solid relationships for it to ever really get much past the first shag. Even with Vesper, it never really settled past that stage.
Another small sound comes from the brunette, slightly muffled by Bond's shirt. "All of that doesn't disappear just because you've shagged, James. It can still be there, depending on the couple of course. You really aren't one for relationships, are you?" There's a smile in his voice, and he shifts to be more comfortable, giving a weak sort of half-cough.
"How many relationships have you had, then, my dear Quartermaster?" Bond challenges as he looks at the young genius, wondering what makes him such an expert on relationships, and at the same time he feels a flare of jealousy that anyone else would have been close to the younger man, to be intimate with him, that would have shared his most intimate, most secret moments. It's irrational, he's sure that Q has had relationships before, but that doesn't keep him from hating any of the others.
Another small noise from the now very relaxed man keeping James pinned to the bed while his fingers continue to make intoxicating patterns over his chest. "A few. Not as many as you might think. It might surprise you to hear, James, that I am no one's ideal man. Male or female, neither seem to take a particular interest in me. Usually has to do with my lean physique or the fact that I am what one might call a computer geek, through and through." Finally, he lifts his head to look at Bond for a few moments. "I had one serious boyfriend in Uni. Things went well, we were good together, the sex was great, we even thought about moving in together. Well, he started delaying that, putting off looking at flats. I found out later that he was shagging someone else. A very fit ballet dancer, actually. Apparently I was a little too gangly for him and a little too obsessed with my electronics and computers. That was in my second to last year of University. After that it just seemed like going out and attempting to flirt was too much of a bother." He says thoughtfully as he considers that. "I've been alone since then, it's been around three or four years now, I suppose." He says before he shrugs a little. And if he feels anything about that, loneliness, sadness, or anger, it doesn't show.
James frowns a little as watches the other man's face, lifting his hand to run it through his hair slowly. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, Q." he says honestly as he watches him, pulling him up a little so he can place a lingering kiss against his lips. "You are a gorgeous man." He reassures softly. "I wouldn't change a thing about you.. and considering your obsession with electronics and computers has saved my arse more than a few times, I think I bloody love that about you." he says with a small chuckle before just pulling the boffin close to him again. "I suppose that we have the advantage of already knowing the worst about eachother. Most of it, at least."
Tilting his head down a little to hide his face from James, Q rubs his cheek against the older man's chest for a moment in a very catlike motion. He feels the heat creeping up his cheeks and wants to hide it, embarrassed that the double-oh can make him blush so easily.
"One thing I did not know.. you're a very possessive cuddler when you're asleep."
Wow... super long chapter. I've sort of been working on this on and off all day and it ended up longer than I thought! Hope you all enjoy, and thank you to everyone who has commented/followed/favorited so far! You guys are so lovely. :)
As always, comments/reviews are welcome! Let me know what you think!