Work Text:
Dawn
James had never imagined that he would be perfectly happy and satisfied with just kissing for hours, making out wherever more comfortable like he hadn't done even as a teenager - but he was: kissing Q so slowly that his skin turned into the night sky was the highlight of James' day, what he looked forward to whenever he came home from a mission and nothing else mattered more than gathering his Quartermaster in his arms to hold him close to his chest, reassuring him that he was alright.
Q would never not worry about him, James knew that and he had made his peace with it, even if his stomach twisted with guilt at the knowledge that the other was constantly concerned about how wellbeing while he was on a mission.
But there was nothing he could do to make Q feel better: his job was dangerous and few people knew that as well as the Quartermaster did, there would be no use in telling him sweet lies when the alien was the one in his ear and directed him left and right when the enemy's fire was raining down on him, his firm and confident voice a light guiding him to safety.
He'd fallen in love with that voice first - with that perfect diction and words clipped by sarcasm.
And then he'd proceeded to adore every single part of the alien, every little detail that made him stand out in James' eyes.
There was no alternative universe in which he wouldn't have loved Q.
As if feeling the weight of his gaze, the alien stirred and blinked his green eyes open "James?"
"I didn't want to wake you" the agent murmured, giving in to the temptation and caressing the other's side, callused fingers chasing the black swirls away from Q's green skin - James wondered about what kind of dream could be sad and peaceful at the same time - and replaced them with a golden yellow and falling stars, the undeniable proof that Q was happy to see him again.
Something that, rationally at least, he already knew.
It was just difficult remembering it when he was tired and aching, the mindset for mission still clinging to him and refusing to let go.
Q smiled and reached out to him with his arms and tentacles, drawing James close and into the bed despite the fact that his clothes still were dusted with gunpowder "Don't worry" he murmured as he caressed James' back with his hands, his tentacles brushing lovingly over his face "I'm happy to see you. How was Qatar?"
"Sandy. Hot. Bloody" the agent answered, shamelessly soaking up every little caress bestowed upon him and that slowly melted away the knots of tension in his muscles "I'm tired" he admitted with a sigh.
"Let's get you out of these clothes"
James let the alien undress him, trying not to hinder him too much with his need of plastering himself close to the other's body to bask into his comforting warmth, trying to pick up the now familiar and steady rhythm of Q's hearts beating in unison.
He could barely remember a time when he hadn't been used to listening to them - a time when he hadn't craved for that song to fill his brain until it was the only thing he could focus on, all the bad thoughts and horrible memories chased away by the sound of the life that pervaded Q.
One tentacle gently started massaging his scalp and James melted into it, snuggling close to the alien until he had his face buried in his neck and his arms were tightly wrapped around Q's waist once he had shrugged off his shirt, carelessly abandoning it amidst the sheets - it already was wrinkled beyond hope, anyway.
Q unbuckled James' belt and pushed both his trousers and underwear down past his knees, so that the other man could wriggle out of them without letting go of him "Better?"
James nodded "Thank you"
"You're welcome" Q said with a smile, eyes wandering over James' body in the dark to catalogue any injuries; he was pleased to see that there was gauze taped over the agent's side, proof that James hadn't forgotten about his promise and had dropped by Medical as soon as he had come back to England "Stitches?" He inquired as he lightly brushed his fingers along the edge of the gauze.
"Butterflies" the cut hadn't been that deep and even if it had been, James doubted that he would have had enough patience to let a doctor sew him up.
"Do you need a painkiller?"
James shook his head "Just you" it was hard admitting it even to Q - before the alien had come in his life, he had never had someone to truly care about him: he wasn't used to feeling vulnerable and letting someone else see it, it had taken him a while to reach out for the comfort he needed.
It helped that Q didn't put any pressure on him, that he didn't have any expectations about how strong he should have been because his brain was wired all different.
"I'm all yours"
At those words, James had to told his head up and kiss the alien: close-lipped and chaste at first to give Q the time to morph his sharp teeth into human ones before he could deepen it.
He was in no rush.
While their feelings for one another had developed fast - the fact that it had taken them a little while to admit to them didn't mean that they hadn't been there for a long while - and James was hellbent on Q knowing just how much he loved him, the physical side was slow going and James was fine with that: he respected Q and the fact that he needed time, he wouldn't pressure him just because of sex.
He just wanted to be close.
And Q was wonderful at cuddling and making him feel loved like nobody else had managed to in a very long time; he had no issues with spending hours just touching and caressing, hands wandering to ruined patches of skin and soothing them with gentle fingers: the alien seemed to be just as greedy as he was when it came to physical displays of affection.
Q hummed in the kiss, making it a little clumsy because his lips refused to stop stretching in a smile - he was so happy that James was back and that he could once again hold him back in his arms - but James didn't reproach him and just kissed him even more softly, almost as if to reassure him that it was alright.
And it really was alright.
More than.
It was perfect.