They killed my father. This isn't done until they're dead.

ANA DE ARMAS as EVE MACARRO

Damn, Eve really thought she could stay awake on the sofa until Ian got home, but apparently not. He always looks a bit sad when he knows he’s the reason she’s running on fumes, and she hates to make him feel guilty.

But she’s also struggled to sleep while he was away. A combination of a trickier than normal mission, and Eve feeling more highly strung than usual. The exhaustion had caught up with her almost as soon as she’d heard he was on a flight home.

“You’re the best at welcoming home, even if you are half asleep.” He comes over to the couch, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her gently.

She shouldn’t have gone into the field. Even just for one mission. Even though it was meant to be routine. Just pass a hard drive over, she’d been told. It would be perfectly straightforward, home before the weekend. It was selfish, really, that she had agreed. And now look where it’s got her. She’s almost angrier with herself than her captors. Though angry is a strong word with how exhausted and beaten she feels.

She can hardly believe her eyes when Ian comes storming through the door, only stopping once he’s reached her. He unties her bonds quickly, and Eve stands still in shock for a moment before she regains her senses and rubs her wrists tenderly momentarily before throwing her arms around his neck. 

Thankfully Q had the means of tracking her down, and he wasted no time to save her. He’s a different man on this mission, focused on nothing but Eve’s safety. Anyone that got in his way needed to get out of it immediately if they couldn’t take him to her. He had a license to kill and he was putting it to use.

“I’m sure we’ll figure something out.” Ian muses, smiling at the kiss to his head. He could stay like this forever, resting here with Eve and their daughter asleep upstairs. “We’re not doing so bad right now, are we? We’re making it work as best as we can.” He thought so at least, but it could be better.

“I’ve been thinking…” He says with another yawn. “Maybe I should talk to M more about these assignments. Getting put out in the field so much, far away. Maybe he… maybe he wouldn’t mind having a closer eye on me if I stayed at a desk.”

“Of course we will, I’ll make sure I’m not on call that day.” M’s always been good about making sure she has enough time off to be spending with Charlotte, he won’t mind one day of her phone being off. “I’d say we’re doing a lot better than just that.” Despite all the difficulties before they fully reconciled, they’ve always put Charlie’s needs first. 

“Oh don’t be so dramatic.” He laughs, though he knows he’s being just as dramatic over sports. He’s careful to move to be closer to his lover, kissing her head gently. “I’ll have to try to get a weekend free to go with her. Maybe if I keep doing my reports on time, M might give me a bit more time off between assignments.”

Ian yawns softly, resting his head on her shoulder. “She’s really perfect, isn’t she? Even though she’s got horrible taste in football teams.” He teases, glancing up at her. “We should all go. I know you’re not a fan but it’d be fun for the three of us. Make an outing of it.”

“Says you,” she laughs with a teasing incredulity. He’s always been dramatic about sport - something she’s never pretended to understand - even at university. “I’m sure we can work something out.” She’ll nudge M to switch Ian off a mission if she needs to. 

“I try my best.” He hums, hand gently resting on her back. “If I can convince the Queen of women not wearing corsets anymore, it would be a miracle. They look lovely but the pains you women go to for fashion…” He won’t understand it ever it seems, but he can admire a women’s features either way, Eve’s most of all.

“Then let’s get back you back home, Miss Moneypenny.” Ian’s arm loops around her waist now, leading her back around to the carriages before helping her inside. Once they’re inside, private again, he gently kisses her, hand cupping her cheek. “Still breathing alright for me, darling? No chance of swooning?”

“You’d be a hero for the ages if you managed that,” she laughs softly, suddenly overwhelmed by a distinct feeling of affection for Ian. He’s such a genuinely good person - sweet and considerate in a way so few of the men in court were. Eve still feels bad for having judged him so harshly early on.

“I think so too, and that’s saying something.” Ian chuckles a bit before kissing her gently. “Yes, alright I’ll go sit.” He knew he was being far too stubborn, and only Eve could break him down from that.

Moving to sit down on the couch, he sighs as he tries to get comfortable. It takes a moment but he finally finds a decent spot where the pain isn’t too bad. “Oh, look at her.” He says, smiling as he sees the pictures once she returns. “I might have to start rooting for that team just to see that reaction on my little girl.”

She smiles against his lips, pulling away after a few moments. “I’ll be there in a minute, darling, you go get comfortable.” That’ll be easier said than done, after all, with the bruise on his side. 

“I did take a few classes.” He teases, his hand running over her corset before he began to undo a few of the buttons, allowing her some more breathing room. “I might not be a doctor, but I know the basics when it comes to how you should be breathing.”

Ian keeps his arms around her, supporting her upright. “Yes, but what if he’s on his way back home now? You never know.” He would normally love the challenge, but he didn’t want to risk it with being at her home. “Though a few goodnight kisses can’t hurt.” If her maid were to find out, he could surely bribe her to be quiet as well. He’d done it before for other lady’s maids, but Eve’s were different cause it was Eve. “Do you want to head back home then?”

Eve’s very conscious of the fact that she should be swatting his hand away, but she makes no move to do so, instead affectionately playing with the hair on the back of his neck. “You’re a man of many talents,” she quips, a teasing twinkle in her eyes. “Maybe you can have some words with the Queen about court fashion given you know so much.”

“It’s the thought that counts, doesn’t it?” Ian smirks, holding back a yawn. He’s honestly knackered but he can’t give in yet. Especially when he needs to be caught up with everything, including Charlie. He shifts the bag of peas against his side as he leans against the counter.

“No, no, they’d ruin her. Can’t have that.” He might have tried his chance with her before, if he didn’t know Eve was here, all because he could, but not now. Ophelia deserved better, and whatever thing she had with Q seemed to be good enough for her now. “Oh damn, that means they’ve gone up in standings.” He laughs, but he’s happy for Charlie. “Go on, I wanna see that smug little girl that her team won again.”

“Of course it is,” she replies with a fond smile, leaning in to kiss his cheek gently. He looks utterly exhausted. As much as she appreciates his attempt to stay up for her, she’d almost rather he stopped being stubborn and just went to sleep. 

“No, but I believe the blood flow to your head is trapped in your bosom in that device.” Ian can’t help but smile at the kiss, even if Eve’s lips taste of the sweet alcohol lingering. Even if she was drunk, he knows her words are true. They might have been admitted more readily thanks to the drink, but Ian’s stomach does a little flip in his stomach.

“I know, Eve.” He cups her cheek gently. “But tonight, we won’t do anything else regrettable other than sneaking away. I won’t risk your reputation anymore. If anything, I’ll see you escorted back to your home before your father would be any the wiser how your evening was. Just full of dances with eligible suitors that tired you out before you went to bed.”

“And when did you become a doctor?”She asks with a teasing smile. Though her corset certainly does feel tighter with him around. That’s the case even when she doesn’t drink.

“Evie.” He speaks it almost like a caution, though the smirk growing on his lips proved otherwise. “I could loosen your corset a bit? Allow you to breathe better?” Surely she was losing oxygen to her brain at this rate with as much as she’d had to drink.

“That must help for the moment, won’t it?” Ian questions, eyes glancing down to her breasts. It’d certainly give him easier access to them and he knew how to cinch them back up to make sure she didn’t look dishonored either.

“No, you don’t seem flustered at all, but you do seem a bit drunk. I may be a rake, Miss Moneypenny, but I know when to let you or get too far to regret it.” If only because he truly cared for her.

Time was Eve would have been disgusted by such a comment. Taken it as further prove that Ian was not to be trusted. Now though, she laughs, stealing a kiss before she replies. “You’re a cad, Walsh,” she retorts entirely affectionately, “I’m having no troubles breathing, despite what your ego might make you think.” There’s just the moments where it feels dangerously like her heart skips a beat around him.

Oh she was quite enjoying the drink tonight. He knew she was already a lightweight when it came to the wine, but it seemed the more she had, the more… adorable she became, for one word. Ian quickly made his way over to her, leading her out to the garden so she could get some air. Her father would never let it down if she embarrassed herself tonight.

Ian looked down at her, trying not to melt into her touch as he held her by the waist gently. “And I’m sure your father would have some sense about us sneaking off and return promptly.” He teases, but he can’t deny the thought of pleasing Eve.

“Perhaps when you’ve cooled down a bit more. You seem quite flustered this evening, Evie.”

She’s indulged herself far more than she should, but that seems to have been a theme since she and Ian had begun seeing each other. She’s still not sure what they are given they’re not exactly suited for marriage. A bit of fun for now, at least. But, rather like their entire affair, her being quite so… merry at a ball is unusual.

His hands on her waist feel like home, despite her knowing how foolish a notion that is. Ian Walsh isn’t the type to stay with one woman. Yes, she’s lasted longer than most, but he’ll grow tired of her eventually. Surely. “He’s far enough away, even if he has a sense for us we’d have a few hours head start.” A truly reckless thing to say. Maybe the wine has loosened her tongue more than she expected. 

“That must help for the moment, won’t it?” Ian questions, eyes glancing down to her breasts. It’d certainly give him easier access to them and he knew how to cinch them back up to make sure she didn’t look dishonored either.