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The Guessing Game
Everyone knew that Q could sing, they caught him humming tunes and singing occasionally while he worked. He had an impressive range, his voice a warm tenor, but his falsetto capable of reaching well into a soprano’s range. When his minions caught him singing fluently in German as he helped 002 on her mission in Germany, they wondered exactly how he could sing so fluently. It brought into question where the lead boffin was actually from. When asked about it, he simply said he wasn’t from England (which was a shock, considering just how perfect his accent was, as if he’d always spoken so posh).
It became something of a game, different minions singing different traditional folk songs from different countries, just to see if Q would start singing to them. He caught on quickly and promised he’d only sing to something from where he’d grown up. Of course, the people outside of Q-branch had no idea about the guessing game and often found it strange when they walked in to singing.
A young minion started singing in Italian, when R raised her hand to him and looked at Q. “I think I’ve got it.”
“Do you?” Q asked, turning to take in 006 and 007’s equipment.
“Da-daa-da-yat-un-de-da-yat-un-de-da-daa-dat-dum.” R smiled as she sang it lightly.
“What is going on in here?” Alec questioned.
“Look how the lights of the town, the lights of the town are shining now, Tonight I'll be dancing around, I'm off on the road to Galway now…” R looked at Q expectantly. He sighed heavily.
“Look how she's off on the town, She's off on a search for sailors though, There's fine fellas here to be found, She's never been one to stay at home.” He sang back to her, lightly, his voice kicked up into a soprano that shocked both James and Alec, especially for how clear it was. R smirked and the freakish harmonizing began. “Home you'll go and it's there you'll stay, And you've work to do in the morning, Give up your dream of going away, Forget your sailors in Galway. Téir abhaile riú, téir abhaile riú Téir abhaile riú Mhearai Téir abhail gus fan sa bhaile Mar tá do mhargadh déanta.” Guns were forgotten, typing was stopped and somewhere a musical may have begun because Q and R looked to be having the time of their lives, practically dancing and singing. They were quite talented apart but together sounded fantastic.
“Off with a spring in my step, The sailors are searching Galway for A young lady such as myself For reels and jigs and maybe more.” Q grinned through the whole line as R left him to it.
“Stay here and never you mind The lights of the town are blinding you The sailors they come and they go But listen to what's reminding you Handsome men surrounding you Dancing a reel around you.”
“Home you'll go and it's there you'll stay And you've work to do in the morning Give up your dream of going away Forget your sailors in Galway.” They were back together again, quite unaware that two navy men, sailors, were actually paying quite a lot of attention to them both. “Téir abhaile riú, téir abhaile riú Téir abhaile riú Mhearai Téir abhail gus fan sa bhaile Mar tá do mhargadh déanta.”
They finished and both laughed as the minions clapped for the pair of them. “Suppose you all know I put on the accent now.” Q chuckled, a totally different lilt to his voice, before the posh was back in place. “Now I can finally sing whatever the hell I want. You win, R.”
“Thank you.” R curtsied.
“Back to work, can’t sing and dance all the time, what would they think of us? We’re supposed to be professionals.” Q sighed before walking back to the agents. “Sorry about that, they sort of had a bet going. Trying to figure out where I was from, originally. I had to go along with it, but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t notice the lack of an earpiece from you, Alec…and he’s walked off.” Q huffed and rolled his eyes. “Please tell me your trackers in good repair, 007.” James slowly handed it over.
“So, do you like sailors, Q?” James practically purred.
“Worst pick-up line ever.”
“I’m just saying dreams can come true… Even if you’ve got work in the morning, matches can be made.”
“Again, awful.” Q said with a wrinkled nose. They had been dancing around each other for months, flirting and teasing with nothing actually coming of it. James didn’t think Q actually liked him and Q wasn’t willing to be a notch, but that didn’t mean the game of cat and mouse wasn’t fun. “How do you ever get anyone to look at you?”
“Some people like awful lines. And mine aren’t that bad.” James countered.
“Some of us prefer wining and dining and longevity, something I hardly think an old dog like you can accomplish.” There was innuendo there, but Q’s true meaning was quite clear. He wasn’t a fling, he wasn’t just there for one night. Q didn’t look up at James as he began pulling apart the equipment, checking for any signs that it would need repair.
“You’d be surprised what tricks I know. I could last quite a long time.” Innuendo there as well, covering honesty.
“Taking medicine for that are you?” Q smirked and then froze was he suddenly felt warm all down his back. James had definitely stepped into his personal space. Q could feel his breath on his neck and a hand on his hip. No one with half a brain would move with a damn assassin that close.
“You little shit, you know what I meant.” James stated, his tone quite serious as he pressed a gentle kiss to the side of Q’s neck.
“I’m not sure I do.” Q took a step away and turned to look at James, thankful that at least most of the minions were actually working.
“Dinner?”
“No.”
“I was thinking dinner tonight, maybe dinner next week if I have the time off, as well. Breakfast maybe in a few weeks…” Q blinked. “Don’t think of 007, this is James asking.”
“Is there a difference?” Q asked, not unkindly, just curiously.
“How about you tell me? One dinner, if you hate James as much as you show disdain for 007 then it’s over.”
“I don’t dislike 007, just that he doesn’t bring my hard work back in one piece. Besides, he’s fun to banter with.”
“Dinner?”
“I like Indian.”
“I’ll see you at seven.” James smiled and kissed his cheek before walking away.