Work Text:
Smoke
Q's lips were wrapped around the filter of a cigarette, vaguely pursed as if he was still unsure about what he was supposed to do - especially because of Eve's unsatisfying explanation. After a deep breath, Q took a drag and felt as if his throat was burning up, the smoke billowing down his throat trying to burn to ashes the moist inner lining of his trachea before reaching down in his lungs and prompt a dry-hacking cough that completely shook his wiry body and made his three hearts beat into a syncopated rhythm "It's awful"
Eve hummed in agreement, arms crossed over her chest as she observed Q's tentacles sprout out of his hair, their whiteness freckled with red speckles that, hadn't she known better about Q's skin changing colours, would have made her immediately think of blood "I told you that it was a stupid idea"
Q scowled at Eve and dropped the cigarette to the ground, heel stomping on it to make sure it would stop burning "They make it look so relaxing and easy in the movies" he grumbled.
"The fact that you're angry at James is not going to disappear thanks to cigarettes" Eve sighed and tugged Q closer to her for a quick cuddle, one hand comfortingly rubbing his upper back "You'll just have to talk it out with him"
"I talked it out with him" Q reminded her, burrowing deeper in her embrace even as he frowned darkly and purple streaks started to wound themselves around his tentacles, twitching with irritation.
"I distinctly recall a lot of yelling on your part and not a bit of talking out" Eve pointed out "I love you to bits and you are right being angry: he's an idiot who made us all worry because of his pigheadedness" she soothed, petting the soft fabric of his sweater "But you also need to give him a change to speak - or apologise, at least"
Q sighed heavily "I was so scared" he whispered "I thought I had lost him" he admitted, tentacles shivering like a leaves in the wind. Weeks after James had woken up from his coma and still Q had nightmares about all the time he had spent watching the man swaddled into the blankets, as still as a lifeless body; there wasn't a night the image spared him and Q was tortured by all the what ifs: what if James never woke up again? What if James had woken up with brain damages? What if James had died?
"Shh" Eve murmured, noticing the black spots that had started appearing on Q's quivering tentacles; for what she knew, it basically equalled to crying to the alien. Sometimes, she found difficult remembering what exactly all the colours Q's skin could turn into meant but, thankfully, her friend's face usually was so open and easy to read too "He's alright now, driving us all insane with his moping but he's alright" she reassured.
"Moping?"
Eve chuckled "He's been haunting mine and Bill's office, asking for ideas to make you forgive him. It's quite hilarious, if I have to be honest"
Q reproachingly nudged her with a tentacle "Don't be mean" he said before perking up a little and looking up at her "Has he really been making inquiries?"
"Constantly, ever since you refused to go home with him and decided to go at your flat" Eve confirmed, a wicked and teasing smile lighting up her dark eyes.
Q sighed "His flat is so much nicer, cosier and bigger" he justified himself, shrinking a bit in his shoulders; before James' stay in Medical, Q couldn't remember the last time he had stayed at his own flat: most of his clothes, geeky knicknacks and bathing products were at James' and he wasn't used to sleeping alone, the bed seemed too big and cold at night without the other man's broad and warm body to snuggle into "Fine, I'll talk with him" he agreed in the end.
Eve bent down and kissed his cheek "Good. Nobody likes seeing you two so at odds"
Q always knew where to find James, not only because he could admittedly see everyone and everything in MI6 thanks to his security cameras but because he liked to think he knew the man very well.
He walked down to the training rooms, tentacles hidden again under his human form; despite the fact that basically everyone knew about his real nature, Q wasn't really comfortable about showing it off if James wasn't near and ready to protect him in case someone with bad intentions and low tolerance for what was different was around.
As predicted, James was pounding his frustrations away on a combat dummy and Q leaned against the door frame to watch him a little, appreciating his body. Q didn't know whether he was an anomaly or his kind too had paid so much attention to muscles and broad bodies like he did: when he had gotten lost and crashed on Earth, Q had been still pretty oblivious to courting rituals and not particularly interested in relationships - he had no idea about what was the norm among his people and it made him feel awkward.
Q cleared his throat, distracting himself from those thoughts that both made him sad and embarrassed "Hello?"
"Q!" James turned around as soon as he heard Q's voice, striding quickly towards him; he stopped only when he was almost close enough to hug him, not wanting to crowd Q.
The alien smiled a bit shyly before he walked closer and hidi into James' embrace "You're all sweaty" he complained, wrinkling his nose but still nuzzled affectionately in his neck and let his tentacles out; he liked it so much when James petted and played with them, making him feel completely loved and cherished despite the fact that he looked so different and unappealing to humans.
James gratefully wrapped his arms around Q and bent down to kiss his head, laughing happily when tentacles sprouted and started to pet his face "I'm so sorry, Q" he murmured, nuzzling into the tentacles "I'm so very sorry"
Q looked up at him, pouting "Are you really sorry?"
The agent nodded "I swear"
"Then you have to promise me you'll stop being stupid and to Medical for a check up every time you come back from a mission" Q glared up at James' shocked face "Promise me - or I'll stay angry with you"
There really wasn't a choice, James didn't think he could cope another day more without Q smiling at him and cuddling into his side for warmth in the middle of the night - he could survive visiting Medical more than what he thought to be necessary, for Q's sake. He sighed loudly but kissed the other's forehead anyway "Fine, you blackmail monster - have you been taking lessons from Eve?"
"She's a good friend"
"That she is" James agreed, pushing Q's glasses up the bridge of his nose.
"She persuaded me to talk to you properly" Q admitted "So, I would at least buy her very expensive shoes" he added with a bright green, unashamedly displaying his shark-like teeth: he was so happy.
Once they arrived home, Q rushed to the bathroom to draw a bath, sorting through his vast collection of bathbombs and salts with glee; he almost was ashamed of having missed something so stupid and material, but bathing had become a way to relax and let go of all his worries since his first days on Earth. The ritual had only become more comforting since James had started joining him "Ocean breeze or lavender and chamomile?" He called out.
"Lavender and chamomile" James answered, entering the bathroom with a steaming mug of tea for Q in hand. He put it down on the edge of the tub and proceeded to undress, folding his suit neatly before he bent down and tested the temperature of the water with his fingers "It's perfect, come on in"
Q nodded, pushing the bathbomb in the tub with a flick of his fingers and standing up to quickly undress. As soon as he was naked, he joined James in the tub and nestled between his parted thighs so that he could lean against his chest and get his hair lathered up; James always insisted on washing it thoroughly before he let Q free his tentacles and completely enjoy his bath.
"I'll be quick, don't worry" James hummed, shifting a bit under Q's body to avoid rubbing his crotch against him; he never wanted an accidental erection to ruin the tenderness of such sweet moments, he wanted to cherish them for what they were without anything sexual to bother them and ruin their peaceful bubble. With firm fingers, James started massaging Q's scalp "Close your eyes" he murmured, just before he began pouring water over his head to rinse it out.
As soon as he felt all the suds slide away, Q let his tentacles sprout out and laughed with childlike glee when they sprayed James' face with water "Sorry"
"You're not sorry at all" James grinned, flicking Q's nose.
The alien shook his head as his whole skin turned a bright green "Nope, not at all" he confirmed and threw his arms behind James neck to hug him tighter, rubbing their cheeks together "I missed you"
James let out a happy sigh "Me too, Q" he murmured, kissing the other's smooth and soft cheek "Me too, love"
Surprising himself, Q turned his head slightly and pecked James' lips with his eyes squeezed shut and his skin tingling where stars started falling "Was that alright?" He asked, opening only one eye to spy the expression on the other's face.
James looked at Q with amazement, thumb following the fall of a star down Q's temple to his chin "More than" he nodded and closed the distance between their faces again, lightly kissing Q's lips.