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Bill couldn't exactly hide his worry as he took account of the work they had done on Gareth that night. It wasn't even the fact that he was on the old side for their kind of job, Bill doubted anybody would just walk out unscathed after getting into a freaky car accident before getting shot at as he escaped on foot.
But there he was. Safely back at HQ, disgruntled, with his arm back into a sling, and a bandaged head.
This time, he was going to have to take at least a few off days to rest and heal.
"I was thinking-"
Gareth raised his eyes on him, curious at the sudden hesitation in Bill's voice. "Hope you're not thinking of having me retire."
"Well, you are going to rest for a few days, that you like it or not. You'll have to." Bill pointed out. "But no. Was thinking more about our dinner- the one we never managed to get to."
Gareth snorted softly, a smile tugging at his lips. "I'm pretty sure my security detail wouldn't be so happy about me going out in public right now."
"No. No, they wouldn't. Which- it's actually why I was thinking- well. There's always something happening, isn't there? I get kidnapped, you get shot, Bond comes back to the land of livings, that bombing that rattled half of Q's division, your car gets crashed- always something. At this point we either have that dinner in private or one of us will probably die before we manage planning for it." He shrugged, shifting his gaze away from the way Gareth had arched one of his eyebrows. "If you're amenable, of course, I'm sure your security detail won't have problems with my house, one of this evenings. Or tonight."
He was surprised when Gareth stood up from his chair then, grabbing the jacket from the back of it with his one good hand. "Well, why not? That could be arranged, for sure. And turns out I'm completely free tonight."
***
They thought people had to know after that.
They were after all surrounded by the best spies in the country.
They had to know.
For God's sake, they were actually talking during lunch.
Of course, it was just a "what are you eating" or "how was your day." But compared to the absolute silence of their usual lunches, it spoke volumes about their new relationship status.
They were even leaving the building together at the end of the evening.
They were sure everybody knew they were dating, what with Bill being unable to hide how flustered he grew with Gareth calling him by name in his office, and with the way Moneypenny would smirk at him whenever he walked out of M's office after they had made out in the privacy of it.
They thought they were even too open about their relationship in the office.
They had even added each other's to the emergency contact in their files.
It was like declaring themselves married.
They spent the next week to that walking on eggshells around the office, expecting some jab, some comment, definitely pleasantly surprised by the maturity of everybody not really reacting to the change.
It helped them relax a bit.
***
James died. Again. Which was a pity, because Bill kind of wanted to invite him at their wedding. Maybe even have him as his best man.
Gareth tried to cheer him up by telling him that maybe Bond was still alive, just hiding and taking an early retirement on some tropical island.
They cheered to that in the privacy of their flat, and decided that maybe it was for the best to keep their private life completely separated from the office life.
It might also help not making feel anybody left out, they reasoned. It just suited them better to have a quiet, little wedding.
Only their families present. No children allowed. A simple exchange of vows and rings at the courtroom after working hours.
No need to mix work and personal life.
No need to give ammunition to people who might have had ears everywhere and every intention to use personal connections as a way to hurt people in their position.
They did update their status in their personal files.
Even took the same days off, for their honeymoon, brief that it was.
***
Bill enjoyed having James back in London, definitely not dead, and being able to share a few nights out with him and sometimes Q and Eve.
He enjoyed very much their covert trips to the movies once a month, and James’ offers to go golf together.
It was a sport Gareth had never gotten interested in, not that Bill could fault him for that, not when he himself had no interest in cricket.
It was somehow one of their inside jokes.
James was perched on a corner of Moneypenny’s desk, bothering her by throwing up in the air the snowball she had received for Christmas from 009. He caught Bill walking out of Gareth’s office just as he caught the ball mid air.
“Bill! Are you free this Saturday? Was thinking of hitting the golf course.”
Bill smiled, happy to be asked to join his friend out but also at the reminder of what awaited him that weekend.
“Would love to, James, but another day if you don’t mind. Maybe next week? I already have plans for this Saturday.”
“Really?” James asked with a glint of curiosity in his eyes matching the one in Eve’s. “Dinner with someone special?”
“Yes.” He couldn’t help then but take a deep breath, puffing out his chest in pride. “I’ll celebrate my fifth year wedding anniversary.”
The duo stared at him, seemingly speechless for a long few seconds.
“What?” Moneypenny blurted out first.
James seemed to match her shock, his mouth hanging open. “You’re married? Since when?”
Bill lifted an eyebrow at them. He and Gareth had been so openly, utterly happy together. They have not been able to really hide themselves really well - they thought - from the rest of the office. He stared at them, evaluating if they were joking or if somehow they truly hadn’t noticed this whole time the relationship between him and their boss.
They had been so sure they were the talk of the office.
“Five years, as I said.”
“You’ve been married for five years?” James asked slowly, sounding genuinely hurt as he stood up from the desk. “And I wasn’t invited?”
“You were dead back then. Could have made a phone call.” Bill pointed out, leaving James looking like he had just heard a ghost from his past. Bill waved a hand, looking at Moneypenny to open the explanation also to her. “But besides that, we chose to have only our close family present. No big fuss.”
“But- I don’t remember you ever taking a honeymoon leave,” she murmured.
“We only took 24 hours in the end, I had to come back to the office for an emergency with 005 in Russia.”
Somehow it was funny to see Moneypenny even more shocked for that. “No honeymoon? Man- respectfully, sir, but- I’m pretty sure in here no one deserves a vacation more than you do. Maybe M. But you did deserve a honeymoon- wait.” She leaned back abruptly, turning to exchange an alarmed glance with James.
Some silent conversation seemed to happen between them, before James threw him a glance, frowning hard.
“But- what about M?” he asked slowly.
It was Bill’s turn to feel terribly confused. “What about him?”
Moneypenny hid her mouth behind one hand. “Uh. Nothing. Uhm. We thought– all this time…”
“Nevermind.” James cut her off with a shake of his head.
Bill looked from one to the other, just as confused as they were because how could have it been possible. He thought they were so clear. They both had thought so. And it turns out they might have been just overthinking it the whole time.
Maybe they weren’t actually the talk of the office.
Which was a bit of relief actually.
He gave them a nod, thinking of how Gareth would probably find it funny later that night. “Very well. Then I’ll be going. Good evening, Moneypenny, James.”
They waved at him, still looking confused for some reason.
***
To his slight surprise his recount to Gareth of the evening’s happening weren’t met with as much amusement as he had first thought.
Gareth simply put down the cutlery, picking up the napkin from his lap to dab at the corner of his mouth before he spoke. “I’m- I must admit I would find it funny. If not for the fact these are the brightest the nation has to offer.” He paused, considering. “And they haven't’ figured out we’ve been married for the past five years? Right in front of them? I had flowers sent to you for your birthday. To your desk. We have been leaving the office together almost every evening for … more than five years, at this point, considering the time we’ve also been living together before the wedding.”
Bill could only shrug. “Maybe they’re not so much into gossip as we thought.”