Work Text:
Pub Dates
“If you meant to keep working, you could have stayed at the office”
“And be at the disposal of whoever was in the mood for bothering me? No thank you” Bill murmured, leaning into the kiss that was hastily bestowed on his cheek while he kept his eyes focused on the laptop, hands never faltering in their steady typing: he had started that email and he was going to finish it, no matter the fact that Gareth had finally deigned himself of joining him.
“I’ll get us beers”
“Food too”
Mallory rolled his eyes as he shrugged off his coat and deposited it by the other’s side, safe from any sticky residue that still might have been on the surface of the table Bill had managed to snag for them, clearly beating the bank accountants to the race seen how strategic it was: close enough to the bar without being in the way of the coming and going of the patrons, it offered them a nice and intimate spot in one of the best corners of the pub “As if I would ever let you starve”
“You have”
“Emergencies only”
Bill arched an eyebrow in amusement, sure that the other was easily going to read the fond teasing in his voice and on his features even if he didn’t turn to face him “Sure. Double fries on you for saying that”
As if Gareth didn’t intend on paying for the whole dinner.
The… thing between them wasn’t exactly a newborn but it was still fresh enough that Gareth liked the idea of being gallant and paying for both their meals; when they had used to meet up just to whine about work with someone who had a high enough clearance and to watch cricket matches, it had been different - more formal: every bill had been split down to the cent, there had always been a sort of tension that hadn’t really allowed them to relax.
Gareth wasn’t sure when that tension had evolved into something different, he just knew he was grateful that it had.
When he went back to their table, two beers in hand and the receipt of their food order tucked in the breast pocket of his jacket, Bill had put the laptop away and was glaring at his phone: it didn’t take much imagination to know that it most definitely was about something work-related; Gareth wished sometimes that they could just… turn everything off and enjoy a nice meal together without having to fear an international crisis to ruin their dates “Do I need to ask for our meals to be packed up for takeaway?” there simply was no reason to huff and puff about it: if they needed to go, they simply would.
It was the nature of the job.
Gareth wondered how their colleagues who ended up partnered with someone with a normal 9-to-5 job dealt with having to be always on call; always on the line; always ready to pack up and go where MI6 needed them to - he supposed that the answer was that, in most cases, they actually really didn’t manage to deal with it and that was why the divorce rates amongst them were quite high. That or they broke the rule of thumb of the good spy - silence - and actually gave their partners some explanations, hoping that it would be enough to make them understand just how important the job was without giving away too much sensitive information.
“No, it’s fine” Bill sighed, putting the phone down to grab the beer and take a long, calming sip “It was just Q”
“What’s happened?”
“Someone blew up something, as they’re wont to do”
Goddamned Double-Ohs “Which one?” they couldn't exactly be too explicit about various denominations while they were in public but they didn't need to use codenames in order to understand one another, not after working together for such a long time with the same agents. Mallory had his suspicions about who it had been to blow up… well, he wasn't sure what - the targets could vary from an embassy (a real nightmare to deal with) to a section of a highway.
"Trevelyan" the who else? wasn't even subtly implied: on the contrary, it was loud and clear despite the fact that Tanner hadn't voiced it out aloud.
"Bastard"
Bill hummed in comfort and agreement as he took another long sip from his beer; if he kept drinking at that rate, he would need to send Gareth to get him another one before their food even got there "How was the last couple of hours after I left?" He inquired, sliding a little closer to the other man; neither of them was big on physical displays of affection in public but still, Bill liked to have some contact between them even if it was just an unassuming kiss on the cheek or the brushing of their thighs together, hidden by the table.
"Stressful"
To be fair, life at MI6 tended to always be stressful but that didn't mean that one couldn't be disheartened or particularly stressed by it every once and again "Whose life do I need to make difficult?" He wouldn't do it, of course: they couldn't afford getting entangled in such pettiness, not when there was the fate of the civilised world weighing down on their shoulders - counting on their professionalism and seriousness.
"Bond's ideally"
"Oof"
Gareth nodded, leaning a little more heavily into his partner "The man just is…"
"Insufferable?"
"Yeah"
Bill reached out to caress the other's shoulder before straightening up again when a waiter came with a tray laden with food "Wow"
"I said I wouldn't let you starve"
"I can see that" luckily, he was quite hungry "Which is mine?"
"Whichever you prefer, I don't mind eating either"
And while Bill was sure that Gareth meant what he had said, he still picked the fish and chips because he knew that the other man preferred meat to fish "Thank you, dear"
"Don't mention it" Mallory murmured, reaching beneath the table to gently squeeze the other's thigh in a loving manner "How was the rest of your day?"
Bill shrugged, ignoring the cutlery in favour of picking apart the scalding fried fish with his fingers "It was in the norm. Nadja lost her paperwork thrice - lost as in, she made sure to dispose of it in a way that could pass as accidentally misplaced"
005 definitely was one of his favourite agents but her chronic delay when it came to filling in the paperwork was annoying and stressful - Bill and Moneypenny had to run after the woman all around MI6, chasing her away from her beloved corner in the gym so that they could sit her down and watch her like hawks to ensure that she did the bare minimum.
Not even Bond was as bad as her and that was saying something.
"I can talk to her again"
"Nah, it's fine. She filled it in at least and I passed it along to Eve" though, Bill appreciated the man's tenderness and care; it was easy to feel underappreciated when he was overworked and stressed, especially in a machine as gargantuan as that of MI6 but Gareth always found a way to make him feel appreciated, like there really was someone concerned over his wellbeing at work "It was a good day, really"
"I'm glad about that"
"Though, I'm quite ready to go home after dinner" he admitted.
Gareth chuckled "That's two of us"
Bill smiled up at him, smitten "We should ask for our food to be boxed up, afterall" he suggested, draining his his beer "I'm quite eager to get under the blankets with you"
Gareth didn't need to be told twice "Your wish is my command"