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A cream invitation was on Q’s platform Tuesday morning. Q was written on the front in beautiful calligraphy. Every minion was waiting for Q to open it. He set down his tea and hmmed. “Alright children. I’m getting there.” He used a letter opener to open the envelope, preserving the wax seal. “You are cordially invited to dine with Commander James Bond and Major Alec Trevelyan. 7 pm, Saturday evening. The Lecture Room and Library, Sketch in Mayfair.” The minions broke out in cheers. It was happening! A romantic evening at a Michelin starred restaurant. A smaller card was also in the envelope. “Please take yourself to Anthony Sinclair, Conduit Street. Thursday at 6pm. Arrangements have been made regarding your sartorial choices for Saturday evening.” Q blinked. “My. They went all out.” Moneypenny came striding into the branch. “We’ll get your hair trimmed. I’ll help style you on Saturday.” Q looked at R. “You already told her?” R grinned. “I broadcast this moment on the internal site. Everyone saw.” Q blushed. “The entire building did not need to see this.” Tanner and M walked into the branch. M spoke first. “Apparently, R thought otherwise. Q, you have leave to go to your appointments. R, you are on call for Saturday night. My entire organization has too much invested in this romance for the dinner to go wrong.” Tanner cleared his throat. “Perhaps now might be a good time to fill out the forms for internal relationships.” Q’s head dropped. “I hate you all.” M’s lips curled up slightly. “I accept that. Now fill out your forms. I won the pot for the time and place for dinner. My wife thanks you for her own lovely evening out.” He turned his head back to the minions. “10 minutes then back to work all of you.” The minions thanked him en masse and went back to chattering.
Q walked into Anthony Sinclair at 5:50 pm Thursday. He was greeted immediately by a younger man in a fantastic suit. “Mr. Q. Good evening. Welcome to Anthony Sinclair. I am Peter. May I offer you a beverage?” “Good evening, Peter. No, thank you.” “Of course. Your appointment is with Antonio. Shall we?” He led the way deeper into the shop. They came to a lovely lounge room with a platform at the center and mirrors on the wall. “Mr. Q, this is Antonio. Our head tailor.” “Thank you, Peter. Mr. Q, delighted to meet you.” “Lovely to meet you as well Antonio.” “Commander Bond and Major Trevelyan have been rather involved in this suit from the beginning. I look forward to seeing it complete.” Q raised an eyebrow. “Have they? I only learned they had commissioned a suit on Tuesday.” “The gentlemen engaged my services months ago. Rather romantic don’t you agree?” “Of course.” “Now if you will come into the dressing room, we shall get you attired properly.” Peter watched as Q followed Antonio into the dressing room. Minutes later Q walked out looking like a new man. The single breasted, two button jacket looked stunning on Q. The natural shoulder enhanced his frame beautifully. The high-rise trousers made his legs look miles long. Q stepped onto the platform. Antonio walked around him humming. Peter spoke, “If I may Mr. Q, that cut looks wonderful on you.” Q turned to see himself from every angle. “I agree Peter.” “I need to adjust the sleeves slightly. The trousers fall correctly. Yes, this came out well.” Antonio finished his circling. “Major Trevelyan was correct. That shade of forest is rather complementary to your complexion.” Q looked at his waistcoat. “Alec has always had an eye for color.” “Quite. If I may be so bold, he and Commander Bond are often a matched set.” Q smiled. “That they are.”
Moneypenny got Q in for a hair appointment on Friday. His hair was trimmed expertly. They cooked stir fry for supper. She slept over in the guest room that night. She got him up at 8 am. Q muzzily asked, “Why am I awake?” Moneypenny replied, “You’re getting pampered so they drool when they see you. Up you get.” They took a trip to the spa. Q was exfoliated, washed, massaged, and had a mud mask treatment. Moneypenny was by his side the entire time. They ended up in the steam room relaxing. Q sighed. “I don’t think this much attention was paid to my appearance ever.” Moneypenny patted his hand. “That’s how you know they like you darling. They see you every day in those check trousers and horrid glasses and saw you. Not the appearance.” Q blushed. Finally, they pried themselves out of the steam room. They got dressed in soft clothes Moneypenny had packed and made their way back to Q’s flat. They had a bite of lunch, laid about with the cats watching an episode of Bake Off. At 4, Moneypenny said, “It’s time.” Q looked up surprised. “I have to put on my suit. That’s all. Why do I need to start now?” Moneypenny sighed. “Oh darling. No. They washed you at the spa, but they didn’t get your hair properly. Now, into the shower. I bought you new shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Bergamot, of course. You get yourself clean then I’ll put a mask on your hair.” Q raised an eyebrow. “How much do you win from the pool if the three of us shag tonight?” She grinned. “Enough to get me to Majorca. Off you pop.” Q slouched off to abide by her direction. He had a thought in the shower. “It is rather nice to have others make decisions once in a while.” As soon as the shower shut off, Moneypenny walked in. She held a small tub in her hands. “Squeeze the excess water out of your hair. Then turn around.” Q gave up on the idea of shame and did as he was told. She massaged the mask into his hair. “Good. Now your eyebrows need some help. Sit on the loo.” Q sighed. He sat. She plucked a bit. “Back into the shower. Rinse in warm water, not hot. Then back here.” Q said, “Let me know any time you want to run a mission Moneypants. You can herd the cats as well as I can.” She snorted. “I was a cat. Now I am a professional cat herder of one darling. M is enough.” Q snorted and rinsed. Moneypenny became a chemist, putting this oil, that mousse into his hair. She scrunched and finger combed. Moneypenny pulled a hair dryer out of nowhere and Q sat still with his eyes closed. “There. They’ll be begging to pet you now.” Q looked in the mirror. He grinned. “I didn’t know I could look like this.” She snorted. “Next time ask someone who has curls to help.” “Point.” “Let me moisturize you then you can get your suit on.” Q got dressed. Moneypenny wolf whistled. “They are going to pull that off you with their teeth. Mascara time. Then contacts. Your eyes are one of your best features.” When Moneypenny was done, Q stared at himself in the mirror. It was clearly him. No doubt about that. But a version of himself he’d never seen before. “You’re getting that pair of Ferragamo’s.” Moneypenny grinned and blushed. “I love you too darling. Now into the cab, it’s time.”
The black cab with Q inside pulled up to Sketch at 6:45pm. Q paid and got out. There was a crowd already waiting. He heard “Druzhok,” spoken from behind him. Q turned to see Alec and James striding up. They looked incredible. He murmured, “Matched set indeed.” Antonio had clearly made their suits. The clean, modern lines fit beautifully on their frames. Alec’s shoulders looked large enough to hang from. Q suddenly had ideas for after dinner activities. James’ eyes shone crystal blue, set off by his waistcoat. They kissed Q on the cheek and turned towards the door. James spoke to the Maître d. They were immediately shown to their table. Their waiter said, “Good evening gentlemen. Welcome to Sketch. I am Isabella, your server this evening. The Chef’s tasting has been selected for your evening meal. Wines will be paired for each course. Please enjoy yourselves.” Alec spoke. “We will, thank you Isabella.” Isabella nodded and walked away. Q spoke first. “Antonio said something curious. You engaged his services months ago?” James nodded. “We had been talking about it for some time. How we felt about you. It seemed you had no interest in romance or relationships.” Alec took over. “We asked the minions, other usual suspects.” Q interjected, “Moneypenny is no longer getting her shoes.” Alec grinned. “Don’t be hasty. She simply said you have no interest in short term relationships.” James said, “The pool didn’t start until after we brought the pastries. And Tanner started it.” “I have been betrayed by my kith and kin.” Wine was brought to the table at that moment along with the first course. Q didn’t understand a word about what he was about to drink other than it was white and dry. He sipped and hummed happily. Isabella stated, “Feuilletes filled with caramelized black bone marrow and herbs.” James thanked her and nibbled. “Oh, that is delightful.” Isabella nodded, smiled, and left the table. Alec spoke after she left. “We had R scan you to get your measurements.” Q muttered, “Betrayal.” Alec continued, “We felt if we made the move to get you a suit, that would give us three months to win you over.” Q thought for a few moments as he nibbled. “Where is all this strategic planning when you could use it at work?” James replied, “You handle all that for us.” Q rolled his eyes and changed the subject. “Alec, you said a man must be loyal and you are always in love. Tell me about that.” Alec smiled. “I am always loyal. To England, to love. To James. And to you Q.” Q blinked. “To me?” Alec nodded. “You always save me in the field. Every mission. The tools you build, the intelligence briefings you write. You always save me. I’ve been loyal a long time.” “Then why do you destroy your kit and laugh?” James interjected. “Pulling pigtails. Alec reads well but his verbal delivery has never been the best. Should’ve seen him in the Marines. He was often reprimanded for speaking to his superiors with such disrespect.” Alec shrugged. “They were twats. Thinking I knew nothing because I was a lower rank than them.” Q smiled. “I’m amazed you lasted as long as you did in the Marines.” “Means to an end. I didn’t think I’d make a career out of the Marines. I was good at it. But I didn’t want to spend my life answering to anyone who felt they were above me.” Q snorted. “Now you answer to two people regularly, five on a good day.” James cocked an eyebrow. “M, you, me, and who else?” Alec smiled. “Moneypenny and Tanner of course. Honourable mention for R. She is great when she takes over on a mission.” “She’s second in command for a reason.” James huffed a laugh. “She broadcast you opening the invitation. She deserves her role.” Q’s shoulders dropped. “She did not need to do that. My relationship does not need to be broadcast to the entire government.” Alec shrugged. “You knew all of 6 would get involved once the minions started chattering. It was only time before 5 and the rest started caring.” Q frowned. “They are all lucky I chose not to hide a worm in the file. It would suit them right if I crashed everything.” “M would give you a deserved bollocking and make you fix it all.” Q nodded. “Point taken.” Isabella came back. “For the second course, potage aux legumes.” Alec thanked her.
The rest of the evening’s conversation flowed as easily as the wine. Alec, James, and Q were all excellent conversationalists. Q relished this opportunity to get to know them better. He laughed when James was told he was indeed more concerned with his appearance. Alec flipped his hair. “Practice that in the mirror much?” Q snorted. He had begun to know them at Mama’s as people, not agents. Now he felt he knew them as Alec and James, friends about to become lovers. The difference between the conversation was everything. The level of comfort he had now compared to then. Q knew who he was in relation to Alec and James. He wanted more from this evening. He was prepared to get it.
Isabella returned with dessert. “For the final course, petit fours. Apricot tartlets, strawberry mousse cubes, and white chocolate raspberry bites. Paired with Moscato d'Asti.” Q thanked Isabella and bit into a mousse cube. “My goodness. I must come here more often. This is divine.” Isabella said, “You are welcome back any time, sir.” She left the table. Alec bit into an apricot tartlet. James ate the white chocolate raspberry. “I believe they improved the recipe from the last time we came here Yasha.” “I think you’re right.” Q sipped his drink. “I for one feel entirely romanced.” Alec and James snapped their heads to Q. Alec grinned. James crooned, “Are you now darling?” “Oh yes. I am entirely ready for the next part of the evening. Your place?” Alec laughed. “Druzhok, you are a treat.”
Dessert was finished, the bill was paid, and a cab took them to Alec and James’ flat. From there, Q got all the romance he could handle. Including breakfast in bed when he woke up.