Three weeks after Washington
Winston was sleeping peacefully in his basket. It was late in the day and the usual weekly meet up in M's office for their chess game was held in silence. They hadn't mentioned their liaison in Washington since. It was business as usual and Q was gratified that nothing seemed to have changed in the dynamic of their working relationship. If anything, the respect had only grown, though the mutual attraction continued to simmer gently beneath the surface.
No regrets they both had said. Both had meant it.
Q leaned forward to advance his bishop. It was only when he looked up from the game, he realised that M had been watching him, though for how long he couldn't say. He felt the beginnings of a creeping blush radiate from the hollow of his throat. He swallowed when M's eyes glanced down to observe its advance.
"Check."
M's gaze returned lazily to the board to study the pieces. He didn't look at Q when he spoke. "It could be argued that men like us don't get to have lives, Q. Military Intelligence is our life." His hand hovered over a piece and moved to divest the board of Q's bishop.
"But as important as this aspect of my life is to me, I don't wish it to be the only thing of importance." Q's look of confusion at the comment gave the man cause to smile. M then slid an A4 sheet across the desk towards Q, gesturing with a look for him to read it.
Q did. His mouth went dry. He swallowed in an effort to generate words from his throat.
"You realise I'll have to clear this with Alan," was all he could manage.
"Of course," Mallory murmured, smiling. "The highest authority in MI6 deserves to be informed after all."
M stood then and, laying his own King down on its side, walked around the desk to pull Q to his feet. The kiss that followed was reciprocal and unhesitant, Q wrapping his fingers around the back of Mallory's neck while they gentle explored each other once more. He leaned back and allowed himself to drink his fill of the man before him. The paper informing M of the approval he had requested to pursue a relationship within MI6, momentarily forgotten.
"Best of three?" Q smiled.
Let the games begin.
END
PS I did end up writing a little bonus feels for the Facebook group so not QUITE the end... :)