lepidopterologist

For some time now, Harry had been considering a talk with Bond. The flirting did not go unnoticed, it seemed stronger every day. As did Q's discomfort, Harry thought, though that was also harder to judge... and Harry felt as if he were possibly the least qualified person in the world to give someone advice about this sort of thing.

Eventually, though, he decided that what he was mostly concerned about Q's wellbeing. Which he found he cared a great deal about.

He'd decided that he did want to check on Q. So he fell into step with him as they inadvertently met up on the way to home from the beach. "Good morning, Q," he said pleasantly.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

lepidopterologist

Unexpectedly, Harry felt a stab of guilt at that confession.

It was possible he'd been one of those men once - not with Q, of course. But he was both closeted and in a job where it was against the code to have relationships, to let yourself to get too close to anyone. Every tryst he'd ever had in his life - it hadn't meant anything. When he felt himself wanting more, or felt the other man wanting more, he cut it off. Perhaps this was why these trysts had been so sparing.

Harry was convinced that this would all shake out in a way that did not include him, in the end. But he couldn't make himself walk away either. What he'd told Q had been right - he didn't know how to form relationships, not the way normal people did. The fact that he'd gotten so close to Q, that he was so comfortable with him, that wasn't something he was willing to give up. At least, not yet. Not until it started causing him more pain than comfort. Which might not be far off, considering how complicated this was getting.

"Honestly..." he said after a moment, "I find this all too alien to even be able to object properly."

Then he looked at Bond. "And you needn't worry, I don't fear you." The words were not a threat exactly, but he hoped that by now the man knew not to underestimate him.

From:

0_0_7

Bond thought it a bit funny that Q would say he felt greedy when he kept him at arm's length. Boundaries. Stolen kisses...clear desire but no trust. Q may be flattered that he was wanted, but Bond wanted more.

Oddly enough, this was just the right carrot to dangle in front of him.

"You're serious," he realized. "That we three should come to some sort of arrangement." He looked at Q, then at Harry, then back again. He found himself in quite the spot. He was a selfish man and when forced to realize this wasn't all about him...well, that hit him harder than any of Q's talk about boundaries.

"All right then," he finally said, though it didn't quite sound like he was agreeing. Just accepting.

From:

quartermaster_q

"If we were all to proceed, I do think it would be good for us to share some intimate space on occasion. Not specifically in a sexual way, but in a way that encourages bonding. Sharing a bed on occasion, for example. That might actually be a good place to start. ... Something to consider during dinner, at the very least," Q suggested.

From:

lepidopterologist

Harry was entirely taken off guard by this. Deer in headlights. He hadn’t really been considering this in terms of the three of them... and he’d been fairly certain that by now Bond would like to see him disappear. And he wasn’t all that fond of Bond either... except for how attractive he was. That was difficult to deny.

So all he said was, “I should get back to cooking.”

From:

0_0_7

About the time Harry spoke, Bond did too. He snorted in amusement and shook his head.

"You make it sound like some sort of team building corporate retreat, Q. Encourage bonding? You think cramming us all into one bed is going to make us a unit?" he asked, laughing softly.

From:

quartermaster_q

Q looked stung by that, and he fell silent as he looked down at his hands.

From:

lepidopterologist

Harry saw the expression on Q’s face, and put a gentle hand on his arm. “This is a lot,” he said quietly.

From:

0_0_7

Bond reached for the bottle and poured himself another glass. He thought it was a bit ludicrous to think of all of them in bed together when Q couldn't stand to be in bed with him alone. Though, then a creeping doubt took him over. Maybe he wanted to sleep with Harry and maybe suggesting the three of them together might make it more palatable? Could that be it? Surely not. No, Q was being too raw to be that callous.

He swallowed the entire glass and poured another.

"I think..." he started, then took a deep breath. "I think I need a cigarette while Harry gets dinner ready."

What he needed was to think this through. Harry was quite right. This was a lot.

From:

quartermaster_q

Q sat silently, watching Bond go for his cigarette, and trying to let Harry's touch center him. ...It didn't, but he wasn't certain anything could right now.

He wished he had his laptop and a strong signal, then none of this would matter. He could shut it all out and just get lost in his own world until this mess faded away.

From:

lepidopterologist

"You're upset," Harry observed, his voice gentle, as he pulled his hand away.

From:

quartermaster_q

"No," Q insisted quietly. "I'm not upset, I understand this is a complex issue and an unorthodox solution."

From:

lepidopterologist

"It also has only been about twenty minutes since you've known how I feel," Harry said. "And you seemed surprised, so I can only assume you hadn't thought much on it before this..." He pushed his glasses up on his nose. "This might not even matter, if there's nothing there between us. So perhaps that's a first step."

From:

cuppa_q

"I am very fond of you, Harry. If I had no interest, if I wasn't attached, this would be much easier for me," Q assured him.

From:

lepidopterologist

"You could be attached to a kindly uncle," Harry pointed out. It wouldn't be the first time in his life he'd made someone feel safe. The way Eggsy had thrown himself into the task of getting him back. And yet, Harry knew well enough that Eggsy saw him as the father he never had.

From:

quartermaster_q

"That's not how I view you," Q assured him, looking down at the table again. "The truth is you're very much my type. ...A nicer variation anyway."

From:

lepidopterologist

A nicer variation of Bond, Harry supposed. Not completely inaccurate.

He hesitated, and then said, "Earlier when you spoke about how you were tossed aside by older men - I couldn't help but compare myself to them. I'd never have allowed myself to get to close to someone like you. I might have done the same."

From:

quartermaster_q

"Might have, but didn't. What matters is what you think you'll do now," Q pointed out.

From:

lepidopterologist

After a beat, Harry said, "I might kiss you... were it not for the fact that James may walk back in any moment."

From:

quartermaster_q

Q smiled at that, a tiny quirk of his lips. "I would like that, but it's best saved for another day. Baby steps for all of us, I think. I'm used to sharing my lovers, I'm not certain Bond's ever found himself in that kind of arrangement. I mean, he's had his share of married women, but that's not the same, is it? That's not sharing, that's more... Taking."

From:

lepidopterologist

"I'd like to know first what you and I are like, before I think of anything beyond that," Harry said. "But I'm not in any hurry either."

From:

quartermaster_q

Q nodded in understanding, then exhaled slowly.

"This is all going to take time, I suppose."

From:

lepidopterologist

"I'm not sure if this solves your original problem," Harry said. "He could still break your heart." He nodded in the direction Bond had departed.

From:

quartermaster_q

"He probably will, but- I think I might take that risk," Q confessed.

From:

0_0_7

Bond had smoked and thought. In a brief time he ran through every scenario possible that he could think of. In the end he came to a few realizations- Harry was a good man, and Bond loved Q and wanted him to be happy. He found while he was a bit jealous, it wasn't about sex. Bond was afraid Q would fall for Harry and not him. But, he reasoned, that could happen whether they were a trio or not.

He came back in and Jack gave a bark. He picked the pup up.

"Did you hash it all out?" Bond asked.