Chapter Text
One would think that Steve Rogers could stay out of trouble while playing video games.
(Somewhere, Bucky Barnes will choke on his coffee and mutter obscenities in Russian and his actual native Romanian.)
But of course, Steve Rogers would befriend MI-6’s Quartermaster while playing World of Warcraft. Brooklyn1918 (a.k.a. Steve Rogers) and Overlord1944 (a.k.a. Q) met and it didn’t take long for the two of them to end up in The Most Unholy of Unholiest Alliances™ so dubbed by the SHIELD Gamer Squad. Overlord1944 was a legend to them all.
(Yes, there is a SHIELD Gamer Squad, which included Agents “My Name is Not Galaga” and “My Name is Not Button Bob.” They were all delighted to welcome Cap into their ranks.)
Naturally, Q was aware that he was playing against SHIELD agents - just as they were aware they were playing against MI-6′s Q Branch. SHIELD vs. Q-Branch gamer wars were fairly common and great fun for all involved.
No, Overlord1944 was not an early indication of Q’s descent into supervillainy - especially since he already had Q-Branch Minions to attend to his every bidding. He actually had an “academic interest” in World War II. Of course, the Q-Branch and the SHIELD Minions’ delighted giggling when Q figured out that Brooklyn1918 was actually Captain America and yep, a WWII veteran, could be heard on both sides of the pond.
Steve’s growing skills in computer geekery and gaming was a closely guarded secret by all Minions. The myth of Steve Rogers, Technophobe and Ancient Relic, was something to be kept at all costs (a.k.a. please don’t let Tony Stark know because it’s so much fun to troll him).
The drawing of Grand Kitten Overlord Q, donated by Steve Rogers, was proudly hung up in Q branch by the happy Minions. Any Double-O agents caught trying to use said precious portrait for target practice would face the considerable and formidable wrath of the Minions.
It is telling that HYDRA never got to infiltrate the SHIELD Gamer Squad who promptly renamed themselves as Cap’s Minions and were among those who obeyed “Captain’s orders” in the infamous Project Insight debacle.
“Just go along with it, Rogers,” Q advised. “I think the world’s big enough for the two of us.”
Q and Minions, of course, were quite helpful in Rogers’ search for a certain Winter Soldier.
”He’s your what? I thought it was illegal back then!”
“We had the neighbor’s cat as our witness.”
Somewhere in the background were mournful Minion sighs.
“Well, that does it then, Captain Rogers. We’ll help you get your husband back.”
The toaster sent over by Q-Branch as a wedding gift - once Bucky Barnes had been found and well on his way to recovery - totally did not have an Artificial Intelligence that could identify intruders and it sure didn’t have any “anti-intruder countermeasures.”
It was Minion #112 who named the toaster “Sherlock.”
“Sherlock makes great toast and he shoots HYDRA agents. Tell your MI-6 buddy and his minions that I’m impressed,” was Bucky’s comment.
“Just that, Buck?” Steve said archly.
“Well, they haven’t gotten around to inventing flying cars, right?”
Actually, Q-branch decided to invent underwater cars instead. Q was in a total snit after what James did to the DB-10.
Steve was a patient listener as Q ranted about certain Double-O agents, their careless disregard for precious equipment and their irritating tendency to flirt with anything that moves while still looking so bloody attractive.
And then Steve sent over the Infamous Darcy Lewis’ Care Package of WHAT IS MY LIFE EVEN™ composed of really good chocolate and booze when Q finally came to terms with his attraction to one James Goddamn it why him, Steve?!!! Bond.
“If it helps, Q, I think the feeling may well be mutual,” Steve observed.
“Oh, right. Of course. I must’ve grown tits and other bits while I wasn’t looking.”
“You have a desk covered in ridiculous souvenirs.”
“Well, it adds a little color, don’t you think?”
“That Bond gave you. From every mission.”
“Bribes because he keeps breaking my equipment.”
“The tea you’re drinking is something he got you from Hong Kong.”
“It’s bloody good tea.”
“You’re wearing the cashmere sweater he gave you, which he got from Paris.”
“It gets ruddy cold in Q-branch.”
“Quincey!” This last was delivered in Captain America’s stern, no-nonsense voice.
And because Q was a little shit, he abruptly cut off their secure transmission.
Steve, of course, had learned from Natasha. He called in reinforcements.
He called in Moneypenny.
And all right - because he and Bucky were overdue for their honeymoon and a well-deserved vacation, the two of them decided to swing by London and see how things were going.
Thus, he and Bucky were recruited by Moneypenny and Minions in Operation: The Spy Who Loved Q.
Operation: The Spy Who Loved Q is currently in progress. The success rate looks promising, although explosions and gunfire might be on the table.