#trans!q

@amrtiamat: probably a very silly request, but trans!Q :)

Based on this Instagram post I posted a while ago.

1) 007 and 006

We all know Alec Trevelyan (even if I haven't watched this movie in more or less three years). He is the agent 006 who at some point happens to betray 007 in GoldenEye.

Some fans have started shipping Brosnan's 007 and Alec Trevelyan, making them the most lethal ship I've ever heard of.

I happened to read an exquisite Fanfiction in which Q always refused to introduce his family to James (who was his lover). Obviously, Bond got pretty mistrustful of the entire situation and decided to secretly follow Q when he went visiting his parents. Bond fell into a trap, literally speaking, and found himself in front of the former 007 (Pierce Brosnan) and Alec Trevelyan.

I have no idea about how the author dealt with Alec's betray, but that's not really important for the post anyway.

After a talk with Q and his family, Bond found out some things:

The former 007 and 006 were engaged (the ship I previously talked about);

Q 007's biological son and 006's stepson;

Q has a step sister, who's 006's biological daughter.

The best part of the Fanfiction was that no one in the family happened to be straight.

After this, I immediately loved the idea of 007 and 006 being engaged and raising Q together, mostly because it gave an explanation to the quartermaster's skills at dealing with Bond's daily shit and everything.

This is the Fanfiction.

2) Tanner and Q

I'm not actually sure whether I have a real position about this Headcanon, nor if I actually like it, but I suppose it could make sense.

I once happened to read a Fanfiction (again) in which they gave to understand that Q and Tanner had been in a relationship in the past.

I mean, why not?

According to this Headcanon, Q and Tanner used to be together when Q still wasn't working for MI6 or had not earned an high position yet; they eventually broke up due to professionalism matters or because they agreed the relationship couldn't have quite worked.

I have honestly never thought about Tanner as queer, I have thought for years that he always came home to his wife or girlfriend after the workshift was over; but I don't dislike the idea.

Furthermore, it's obvious how Q and Tanner get along really well.

3) Q is Trans

⚠️There might be a minor No Time to Die spoiler at this point but it has nothing to do with the plot itself⚠️

This is one of my favourites.

There are three main versions of this Headcanon:

Trans man;

Bigender;

Genderfluid.

Whatever your opinion is, Q spreads queer energy: it's undeniable and, most importantly, FINALLY CANON.

(He's not canonically trans, but you get what I mean).

Anyway, I'm really fond of this headcanon, I think I made it clear, and for one specific reason: Q is a role model for some trans fans (and cis) who use Q's character to cope with their body dysphoria.

I happen to fall in this category.

We find ourselves in a situation in which the relationship with our body can present as particularly difficult (whether we're talking about body dysphoria due to transition or having a "too thin" type of body, for example, even if the last example is about something different).

In this way, people find someone who's similar to them and has the same problems: they feel less alone in the struggle.

4) Bond is Rufus Sixsmith's Reincarnation

⚠️ALERT SPOILER⚠️

This needs to be explained meticulously.

I think it makes sense, but don't ask why because I don't know the correct answer to such a question.

Both Bond and Sixsmith are blond with grey/blue eyes. I think we can agree on it.

But the characters are completely different: Bond is an impulsive dickhead, while Sixsmith is considerably more patient and reflexive.

But why does this theory make sense?

They have one thing in common: Ben Whishaw.

Both of these characters interact with one of Whishaw's character in the movie: Robert Frobisher and Q.

It doesn't matter that Sixsmith was Robert's lover and Q, sadly, just Bond's colleague.

However, this Headcanon can be well understood only by explaining what happens in Cloud Atlas.

The book and the movie result different about the resurrection we're talking about:

The book: in the book the main character has always reborn as the main character. In fact, they all have an identical mark on the shoulder because they are the same person, just living a different life in a different body. And that's how Sixsmith recognises Robert in Luisa in the moment they meet in the lift; he literally asks: "Have we already met?".

The movie: the movie is a bit more controversial than the book. They decided to use the same actors to play different roles (so you could see an actor who's played a protagonist playing a side character). Because of this, my first interpretation of the movie was that every character reincarnates at some point and might happen to be a protagonist. In fact, the movie is mostly about karma and how someone who's been unlucky and mistreated by others will be in the opposite situation in the next life (and vice versa). Also, the characters keep interacting with eachother, meeting through time, as if they were naturally drawn forward eachother. Ben Whishaw's characters and James Darcy's ones are the only that never interact again after Robert's death. The problem is that, even in the movie, Sixsmith asks Luisa if they had already met: it might be because she's a journalist and he might have heard about her, or because he sensed the mark on her skin (?).

Following the movie theory (and cowardly avoiding the problem) the Headcanon can make sense.

If it's true that characters are drawn to eachother, Sixsmith and Robert can meet again while being respectively Bond and Q.

Also, Sixsmith dies in 1973 and it is acceptable for Bond to be born around that year. Furthermore, being Robert's reincarnation still alive at the time (meaning that he died later), this gives us the age difference we need for Bond and Q.

It's a good theory for 00Q fans because Robert and Sixsmith were lovers and 00Q has more chances to happen; for Cloud Atlas fans, it's good because, finally, Robert and sixsmith can meet again.

5) Q is a a Former 004

Still Fanfictions.

That said Fanfiction, was about Bond being assigned a mission together with 004, who turned out to be Q (who wasn't Q yet).

There was also a oneshot in which Q bursted in the field to help Bond and he reveals he used to be 004.

Why is this Headcanon good?

Because it gives us a character development which we could have gotten before if they hadn't decided to destroy the Spectre script.

Why did Q leave the field?

There are two opinions about it:

It wasn't for him: just like Moneypenny, at some point he decided to leave the field because he noticed he couldn't fit in such a profession;

An accident: there was a pretty rough accident during a mission that got Q leave the field as soon as possible (the accident can change).

There is also a theory about Q being a former MI5 agent but leaving the job due to a shooting in which he got hit.

6) Q is Vesper's brother

YES.

I have already made an entire post about Q and Vesper being ridiculously similar: the hair, the eyes, the way they interact with Bond, their temper... They're almost identical.

This lays out all of the needed elements for Q and Vesper to be siblings.

There are also interesting factors that could be used for Fanfictions related to this:

Bond being overprotective of Q;

Q not knowing for sure about what happened to Vesper and getting mad at Bond once he finds out;

Bond getting desperate once and if he falls for Q;

Ecc.

Also, if we consider the actors, both Ben Whishaw and Eva Green were born in the same year, which could make Q and Vesper twins, other than siblings.

7) Q's name

We know that this version of Q lacks of a personal identity: he doesn't have a name, while the previous versions did.

Fans have been forced to make up one by themselves. The most common choices are: Arthur, Andrew, Thomas, Daniel (London Spy fans ಥ‿ಥ), Ethan, Gabriel, Kian...

But there are also fans who follow a sort of Headcanon: making a quick research, internet would tell that every M in 007 movies (and books) had a surname that started with an M; these fans follow this logic.

Just like in M's case, they tend to use a name that starts with Q for the quartermaster: Quinn, Quincey, Quince...

here he is! tattooed Q in all of his glory, including (but not limited to):

- leonardo da vinci's skull sketch (he believed that the human soul resides in the place where the three lines meet),

- the psi symbol (thank you for that amazing idea @amrtiamat!),

- the Fibonacci spiral (that's @prismatic-bell's great input!)

- the number VII for obvious reasons,

- the letter Q in both braille and morse code which he got after he was promoted,

- the first thirty-two numbers of pi, each year he adds another one on his birthday (he might have gotten each number he remembers if he could fit about 20 000 numbers on his body),

- a laurel wreath he got after his top surgery,

- "hello world" (the most basic computer program, most people's beginning with coding) in Yiddish,

- d&d dice because that boy is a nerd and loves shapes,

- the testosterone molecular structure he got after starting T,

- a circuit board that interconnects all of his other tattoos,

James Bond seeking for love since the death of Vesper. That's it.

I proclame this the official alternative No Time to Die ending. No one has the right to say the opposite.

A bit of 00Q inspired by My Heart is Buried in Venice.

Seeing her face after thirteen years had been a shock, something he wasn't prepared for; although it was just a picture on a grave, the sight of her immediately left Bond with no emotions but the grief he had been holding for a decade.

"I miss you" was all he had been able to tell her, all of the emotions coming back to him in an instant: the pain, the guilt for not succeeding in protecting her, the rage against Le Chiffre and the hate he felt towards her for betraying him, abandoning him.

Bond missed Vesper, but still was able to hate her for leaving him alone in that cruel world.

He hated his parents in the same way (he knew it had been an accident, but still he had felt abandoned his entire life), he also hated Blofeld for not being able to love him like a brother and taking everything away from him.

Bond did not cry as he held Vesper's corpse in his arms, staring at her glassy eyes and purplish lips. It was too much to cope with, it almost felt unreal: he had spent years trying to get someone to love him, begging for affection without using any word, and it went away with the same rapidity wherewith Bond had grabbed it.

Then, it came the anger: Vesper had been so selfish and mean to leave him after he had searched for that love his whole existence, and she knew that her actions were going to stab him right to the heart. However, she had taken a huge risk in order to protect him, and Bond couldn't completely blame her anymore (oh, he wished he could have blamed it all on her).

His heart had remained there, bleeding and buried in a canal in Venice, waiting for someone to take it home.

But Bond had no clue where home was: it wasn't Skyfall, it wasn't MI6, it wasn't his flat nor London and it was none of those women's arms. Bond did not know what home was.

Home wasn't Camille, the girl he had kissed in the car. He blamed it on adrenaline (or maybe sympathy?) but Bond certainly wasn't in love with her; there had been a brief moment in which, parting their lips, he had expected to find himself in front of Vesper's blue eyes, but found Camille's displeased glare. He let her go as she walked away without saying a word (not a goodbye nor a smile), knowing she was safe and he had no reason to get affectionate.

Home wasn't even Tanner, the best friend he had ever had, a real shoulder to lean on. He was a cool man, with the ability of solving every trouble or riddle, but Bond was far away from bothering him with his nonsense shit. He could tell Tanner cared, and it made the agent feel less miserable and lonely at times, but it still wasn't enough to trust someone with his worst demons yet.

An unexpected encounter had been the new quartermaster, a way too enthusiastic kid with a silver tongue. Q was the reason why he first smiled at Vesper's memory after years: his ability of fighting Bond's insults was equal only to her level, and the agent had to hold back a chuckle.

He decided to keep him as a friend, someone who had all of the qualities to not annoy him.

Moneypenny had become a sort of home. It took Bond some time (and a rejection from her) to realise that he wasn't searching for a shag or romance from that woman; he was searching for comfort and a friendly figure. Moneypenny had something that reminded him of a mother and his inner child wanted nothing more than to stay by her side. She was sweet, understanding and honest, but still not home. She was more a shelter after a storm.

Returning to Skyfall had been a throw back into his childhood and blowing it up had been pure joy. It was not true that he had always hated that place: he had once felt at home there, the memories made it horrible; he could see his mother smiling at him, his father calling for him to go hunting together with Kincade, the fireplace was brightening the place as it did on every winter and he heard himself laughing and giggling all around. It was too much, blowing it up only silenced what he did not want to remember.

But then M collapsed. He barely caught her in time and she was bleeding. That asshole had kept her injury hidden (for what reason he still did not know) and was dying in his arms. He cried all the tears he hadn't been able to push out in Venice, all the tears he had held back in the hope of being strong enough.

He had been abandoned again, but he couldn't say he hated M for that, no matter how much he tried. She wasn't exactly affectionate, but Bond had loved that, in the way he would have loved a mother, she gave him a sense of certainty. Again, he couldn't blame her for leaving.

His heart was still buried in Venice.

"Make me disappear" he pronounced those words nonchalantly, feeling Q tensing next to him. That kid (no, a man worthy all of his respect) had tricked Bond into trusting him and the agent still struggled to understand how he could have let himself being so weak in front of that willowy smartass. Bond could have killed him with such ease, however hurting him felt wrong: he would have rather let Q kill him without moving a limb.

Austria made him realise how protective of him Bond had become, even after meeting Madeleine. As Q appeared from the hotel room door Bond had immediately sensed something was wrong: the way he carefully peeked through the door, the way he relaxed at recognising the agent and his brief rambling gave Bond the impression that something wasn't alright. But Q was Q and Bond knew he wasn't a fool, so he didn't dare to ask.

When he kissed Madeleine (and all that came after) it was completely out of adrenaline. But he did not care and rather let himself drown into it, because it felt too good to reject it, it felt nostalgic and he finally had gotten back what he had lost in Venice. He did everything to keep it, he did everything to save Madeleine and was almost able to forget himself for the times he didn't succeed.

He got back to Q-branch to take the Aston. It actually wasn't the real reason, he wanted to look at the place one last time before saying goodbye to all of it, before leaving and retiring. He had never thought he would have retired, but what he had at the moment felt enough to leave his job.

Q appeared surprised when Bond entered the lab, looking at him with a confused frown. "There's just one thing I need" but it felt utterly wrong as he took the Aston and sat in the car with Madeleine, it felt horrible as he looked at Q's soft smile without saying anything. Maybe he just needed time to adjust to the change, after all it was new to him.

His heart wasn't in Venice anymore, but it wasn't with him either.

The happy ever after in which he had believed so much shuttered in smithereens right under his sight. He should have seen it coming, he had been so stupid for thinking he could have trusted someone like Madeleine, someone who had dealt with spies their entire life. He made sure that, this time, it was him to abandon her, getting Madeleine on the train. "How will I know you're okay?" "You won't. You'll never see me again" and it felt so good to finally hate her, hate her with every drop of his blood. This time, he could blame it all on someone else.

Bond spent all of his permanence in Jamaica missing something he couldn't acknowledge. At first he connected it with breaking up with Madeleine and losing love again, but it wasn't that. There was something he wasn't aware of. When Felix offered him a job, Bond thought he had been missing the action; but, on that rubber dinghy, he was still missing something, even with the adrenaline in his veins, and he knew he wasn't missing Felix (or, at least, that was just a part of the problem).

He started understanding what was wrong with him when Moneypenny brought him to Q's house. The melancholic feeling left room for excitement, a pleasant pain in his chest, and he couldn't help the words that came out of his mouth once Q opened the door: "Hello, Q: I've missed you".

He hated himself for saying it, despite knowing he totally meant it. Looking around and taking the bottle of wine in his hand, Bond tried to make peace with the fact that he had been genuinely missing Q (which probably meant he was screwed).

Q rushed to them, likely trying to save his bottle of wine, and Bond felt an enjoyable sparkle in his heart; at least before Q spoke: "He'll be here in twenty minutes".

Jealousy was Bond's response, but forced himself to look totally neutral at the statement.

Needless to say, he felt less murderous when Q cancelled the date, but couldn't help feeling also guilt for settling into his house like a parasite and and ruining said date.

The first days at Q's house felt incredibly relaxing, as if Bond was finally able to enjoy his retirement and the domesticity he had always avoided. He always got up first in the morning, making sure Q ate enough (because he had the suspect that the quartermaster had the habit to skip meals); he chuckled at the surprised reaction Q gave when he woke up and found breakfast, when he found a ready meal to take to work and when he came back home and found Bond cooking dinner in the kitchen.

Bond loved taking care of Q, giving him the affection he had sought for all of his life, and he was not expecting anything in return; he was doing it for the sake of seeing Q's smile and because he wanted to.

But he ruined everything in the moment he kissed his beloved quartermaster. He felt how he kissed back, although Q's expression wasn't pleased but rather brought a series of emotions that confused the agent (was he mad? Scared? Annoyed? Maybe all of that). Something broke that day: Q became more careful, colder, as if he was really scared (for the first time) of being near Bond, and the agent couldn't bare to see it.

He knew what had gone wrong when he kissed him, Bond was well aware of the fact that others weren't clueless about the instability of his usual relationship; he talked to Q (and he wished he had talked way before), apparently succeeding in assuring him that he was completely serious about whatever they had in that moment.

And when Bond got to sleep with Q in his bed, he started feeling like home was a possibility: there was room for trust in there, for peace and calm, and he lingered into Q's arms every time he fell asleep, trusting him with his life.

Even knowing that Madeleine had not betrayed him didn't cause him to leave Q; he made sure that Madeleine and Mathilde were safe, killed Safin and got the job done, but he wasn't looking for something in the past, for something he had missed. He wasn't looking back.

Lying in bed with Q, Bond was at ease and calm, relaxed by the steady breaths of the asleep quartermaster. They were naked under the duvet, right after an act that had been consumed under adrenaline, but Bond didn't care; he didn't need adrenaline to love Q like that, his love wasn't based on it and he didn't wait for Q to wake up, because he had stopped feeling lonely once his lover had fallen asleep.

Trying to not disturb his deserved rest after all of the emotions of the day (the agent got slapped for scaring him like that), Bond ran a hand through Q's humid hair, not expecting to find Vesper's face after kissing his forehead, not missing her like he had used to. She still lived in his memory, young and beautiful as he remembered her, but she wasn't his place: Vesper was in the past, he wasn't searching for her anymore.

The way Q shifted closer (probably seeking a source of heat) made Bond's heart beat faster and he claimed Q in his arms.

For once, love felt calm, there was no rush and it didn't need to be perfect; as long as he was with that man he didn't care about anything else.

His heart was home.

This is for everyone who feels unlovable and undeserving of affection. Your person is coming, your place is coming.

Alternative No Time to Die ending (happy ending)

Alternative No Time to Die ending in which the nanobots were programmed for Q, but Bond survives and Q-branch takes care of them.

Because James Bond doesn't die and we know that; Q could have done something to deactivate those nanobots and we are completely sure about it.

Also, we needed to do something with that Bond / Madeleine thing (sorry for the ones who like them).

Green rated (just a bloody long work).

Bond didn't expect to see white as the first thing his eyes caught when he woke up; he had always expected hell to be dark and cold (because there was no place in heaven for him), but in that moment he felt rather relaxed and warm.

His body wasn't actually responding to his commands (not that he expected to still have a body after what had happened) and his limbs felt dizzy and slow, as if he had been frozen in time.

He gained the sense of his body gradually, in what felt like hours to him but what probably less than a minute.

The situation became even stranger as he realised to be lying over a soft surface, something light and gentle caressing his hand. It was then that Bond saw the person sitting on a chair next to the bed he was resting on: Q looked like he hadn't slept in ages and was looking down on the mattress as he held Bond's hand, struggling to keep his eyes open.

He was alive, Bond realised with an enormous and frightening confusion.

He wasn't supposed to be alive, and Q wasn't supposed to touch his hand.

In instinct, Bond tried to pull his hand away from Q's, giving a low groan in discomfort at the realisation that he couldn't move as fast as he had planned to. Damn the morphine.

He saw Q freezing at the small flinch his hand gave and actually tried to talk as the quartermaster gave the agent a tired and relieved smile.

Despite his huge effort, all that came came out of Bond's mouth at first was a soundless gasp, words not forming.

At the second attempt, Bond was becoming restless, startled by not being able to communicate with Q.

- Hey, there's no need to panic: you're in the hospital - Q tried to reassure him, but Bond's concern was a totally different one.

- You... don't touch my hand - the agent managed, aware of how weak his voice sounded.

The small smile Q gave should have reassured Bond that everything was alright, however he moved away as the quartermaster reached for his cheek.

- It's deactivated, it does no harm - Q explained softly and Bond gave a relieved breath.

Q knew about the nanobots, knew they were for him, and Bond would have kissed him right away for saving the situation and being so incredibly smart. Closing his eyes for a few seconds, Bond let himself seek the familiar coldness of the quartermaster's hand, giving a content sound as he felt him caressing his cheek.

- I'm okay. You are okay - Q whispered, tracing circles all over Bond's cheek.

Trying to take a better look at Q, he attempted to sit up or at least get into a better position, but froze when Q got immediately alert.

- Don't move! You broke your back! - he warned him and Bond stopped moving immediately.

With a loud puff, he went back staring at the ceiling, but actually reached for Q's hand.

- And you're missing a leg - the quartermaster muttered, getting the agent's attention immediately.

- I'm missing a leg?! - Bond asked, more surprised and startled than he had ever thought he would have been.

Q nodded and grumbled in affirmation, resting his free hand where Bond's right leg should have been.

- Yeah, it was... badly damaged - Q explained.

Blinking a few times as he observed Q's hand sink in the in the blanket with an uncomfortable expression, Bond closed his eyes at the realisation that there actually was no sign of his right leg.

- We're planning on a prothesis - Q said and the agent recognised his attempt in making him feeling better.

- How am I even here? - Bond asked as he opened his eyes, keeping his confusion and nervousness from getting his voice harsh.

- You never took a direct hit: the building collapsed below you...you were saved by the rubble - Q explained, looking down again as he did so.

Bond did not answer, conscious about how lucky he had been (for umpteenth time) and was likely running out of said luck.

- The nanobots could be deactivated - Q muttered, playing with Bond's fingers.

- Why didn't you tell me? - the agent asked, knowing by how the quartermaster raised his eyes that he had definitely said the wrong thing.

- Maybe because I didn't know. Do you think I would have let you get yourself killed? - Q snapped raising his voice.

Bond immediately regretted saying those words in the moment he saw the tears in Q's eyes, tears that he was desperately trying to hold back; Q was tired, stressed and had probably been too worried recently.

He should have never made him feel accused like that.

- Come here - Bond said gently, using that bit of mobility he had gained to try and draw Q closer.

The quartermaster didn't protest, lowering himself next to Bond and only hesitated in the moment the agent wrapped his arms around him; not worrying for his own broken back, Bond got Q to lay on the hospital bed with him, the younger man immediately relaxing with a shaking sigh.

- I'm sorry: it wasn't your fault at all - Bond whispered, feeling Q shudder in his arms.

- M knew about it - the quartermaster muttered, his voice breaking at the end of the sentence.

Bond gave a displeased groan.

- He thought you would have died even if he had told us - Q continued.

By that moment Bond was boiling in rage: M going without mentioning said detail and Q suffering because of the consequence of it were enough for him to develope a murderous sentiment towards his boss; however, Q was more important than that in that moment, he was more important than anything else.

He would have dealt with M in a second moment.

- He was wrong: I'm here and I'm not leaving - Bond assured Q, running his fingers in his curls (he had had the chance to learn how much Q liked that).

- Don't make a promise you can't keep - Q groaned and sniffed, but didn't move.

- I'm serious - Bond replied.

- What about Madeleine? - Q asked then, and Bond had to admit to have been caught off of guard.

- ... I'll talk to her - the agent decided, to which Q have a hum, not sounding convinced.

Bond didn't force the argument any further and was about to ask Q when was the last time he had slept (even thought he knew the answer) when somebody knocked at the door.

The quartermaster immediately pulled away, back on his feet, and Bond damned his lack of strength when Q slid away so easily.

The door opened slowly and Madeleine entered the room, Mathilde in her arms. Bond didn't miss Q's sharp sigh, immediately turning to look at him and realising he couldn't reached for his hand.

- I'll leave you. Get better soon, Bond - Q quickly said, turning to leave immediately.

- Q - Bond called, but the quartermaster didn't listen.

- Q! - Bond tried again, but the quartermaster had already left.

∆

- He's not going to wait for you in eternity -

Time had passed and Bond was struggling with the prothesis, but he still had not talked with Madeleine. It wasn't easy, he had found out, every time he had tried to bring up the argument something had stopped him.

- He has waited far too long -

Bond puffed at Moneypenny, knowing that she was utterly right.

- You need to talk with Madeleine - Eve said, to which Bond stopped walking (in his umpteenth attempt to learn how to walk on his new leg).

- It's not a nice argument - he replied.

- Just be honest - Moneypenny grumbled.

- And what should I say? "Look, I've been fucking my quartermaster and was too naive to admit that I had loved him even before you and me met"? - Bond snapped.

- Yes, actually - Moneypenny answered, to which Bond gave an annoyed look.

The woman grumbled loudly.

- Simply tell her that you misunderstood your feelings for her - Moneypenny said.

- And how do I explain what happened with Q? - Bond asked.

- She's probably already noticed - Eve replied with a shrug.

Bond gave a grumble in agreement, sitting down on a near chair with a puff.

- But I don't want to leave Mathilde - he admitted and found Moneypenny looking at him with a soft smile.

- You don't have to - she replied and Bond stayed silent, looking down.

- Just talk to her - Moneypenny said.

Bond gave an absent nod, already feeling too anxious about that. He had never been good with words.

∆

He took the chance the next time Madeleine came to pay a visit, and luckily Mathilde wasn't with her.

- We need to talk - Bond told her, suddenly serious.

- I think so too - Madeleine agreed and surprised the agent with that statement.

Bond desperately searched for the right words, not knowing where to start; there were lots of thing he could have said: tell her he didn't love her as he had thought, admit what had happened with Q, beg for her to not get mad (probably the worst choice of words ever); there was so much he could have said.

- How long have you two been having an affair? - Madeleine suddenly asked, which caused Bond to stiff on the bed he was sitting on.

But she wasn't mad nor accusing him of cheating, the agent noticed thanks to a scan of her expression and posture. Indeed, she was more relaxed than him, almost resigned.

- Since I came back to London - Bond admitted.

Madeleine didn't answer, probably expecting some words from him. And so did Bond: he expected himself to talk, but no coherent thought was forming.

- Listen... it's just that, this...I'm sorry: it's not working, between you and me - he eventually managed, to which Madeleine nodded.

- It's evident: I don't trust you and you don't trust me. At least not as we should - she agreed.

Bond sighed, mentally thanking Madeleine for being better with words than; she had always been better at articulating thoughts.

- Could we try and he friends? - Bond asked her carefully.

- Yes, that's a good idea - Madeleine answered, smiling slightly.

Bond returned the smile and reached for her hand, caressing the soft skin of her palm.

- I'm sorry, for everything - he muttered, eyes locked on her hand.

- I forgive you. You're not a bad man - Madeleine murmured, returning the gentle caresses.

Bond found himself smiling thankfully, knowing that (even if she didn't trusted him) Madeleine for sure understood him.

- Can I ask you one last thing? - the agent questioned, his heartbeat raising in anxiety.

- Yes, but don't forget to breathe in the meantime - Madeleine said and chuckled.

Bond actually smiled at that, still focused on her hand.

- Can I still be Mathilde's dad? - he eventually asked, afraid.

Madeleine didn't answer right away, and that was scaring Bond more than anything he had ever faced so far. She looked out of the window for a moment, not a single reaction from her, nothing that Bond could read to anticipate the answer.

- She likes you. I think we could manage that - Madeleine decided.

- But do you want to? - Bond asked and Madeleine nodded.

- Yes, I've got nothing against it - she assured him with a smile.

- You're an angel - Bond immediately told her, not being able to help his bright smile when he leaned to give Madeleine a thankful hug.

She accepted the affection, stiffing in surprise before relaxing as she returned the hug.

- You'll be happy with him - she said, after they had parted.

- You think so? - Bond asked.

That was something he had hoped himself: to be finally happy with someone. Every time, it either ended up horribly or didn't turn out to be what Bond had thought; he had hoped to be finally at peace with Q and would have done anything for it to turn out right.

He just hoped that his effort would have been enough.

- I see how you look at him. You're relaxed around him - Madeleine answered and Bond could do nothing but nod.

∆

Bond went to Q's house as soon as he was allowed out of the hospital.

His walk was still sloppy but he managed it with a good amount of insistence and nervousness (because there was nothing worse than not being able to walk properly).

It took him five minutes to rang the bell when he got to Q's house, five minutes in which he stared at the door with short breath, completely motionless.

- Nice to see you again, Bond - was Q's greeting, together with one of his sharp smiles.

- May I come in? - the agent asked and stepped inside when Q moved to the side.

The house was still as tidy as he had left it, not a single thing had been moved, nothing had changed aside Q's mood: he looked defensive, alert, as if expecting to be attacked by Bond.

- Your things are still here, if you'd like to collect them and take them away - the quartermaster eventually broke the silence.

- I don't need to - Bond answered, getting more and more nervous since the discussion had been started.

- Then, enlighten me about your intentions, because I'm not a mind reader - Q snapped, crossing his arms to his chest.

Bond sighed, measuring his words carefully.

- I talked with Madeleine - he started.

Q seemed to relax gradually, listening to Bond with his full attention.

- And...we agreed on the fact that it wasn't working - he explained and Q nodded.

- So, you two are over? - the quartermaster asked.

- Officially - Bond affirmed.

He tried to read Q, noticing how he seemed to dwell on the agent's words with a thoughtful expression that didn't make Bond feel better at all.

- How do you know it's going to work? - Q asked, his voice low and relaxed, not defensive anymore.

Bond remained silent as the quartermaster exposed a weak side of the situation, something that the agent himself had wondered.

Could he be sure? He had lingered on said question for days and some answers had come to him, enough to give him a little bit of the confidence he seemed to have lost together with his right leg.

- It took me years to acknowledge that I was in love with you. It was different from other times, I didn't recognise the feeling - Bond started, feeling Q's gaze locked on him.

- Let me get this straight: you've been in love with me for years? - Q asked.

- Since the Gallery - Bond answered, to which Q pinched the bridge of his nose.

- And you didn't realise? - the quartermaster asked.

Bond shook his head in shame, knowing how ridiculous it sounded but knowing he had to be completely honest with Q.

- You left Madeleine, because you actually weren't in love with her - Q said, searching for a confirmation from Bond.

- It wasn't going to work: I didn't love her enough to trust her - Bond affirmed.

Q seemed to think about and then nodded slowly, sighing and letting his guard fall.

- I feel safe with you, I know I can always count on you. I trust you with my life - Bond continued.

- I'd be an horrible quartermaster otherwise - Q chuckled, influencing Bond in laughter.

- I'm sorry I made you feel like a replacement. It wasn't really like that - the agent said, reached for Q's cheeks, cupping his face in his hands.

- It hurt, James - Q muttered and Bond's heart gave a painful beat.

- It hurt when you left, when you went back to her...when you acted as if nothing had ever happened - Q continued, his voice sounding as painful as what he was feeling.

Bond claimed Q into his arms as he couldn't stand watching his hurt expression a second more, sighing happily at the feeling of finally holding his thin figure in his arms after a long time. The quartermaster wrapped his arms tightly around Bond's neck, resting his head on his shoulder.

- I didn't know how you felt about it - the agent explained, aware of the fact that it wasn't a good excuse.

- I felt great. It felt great to finally have you - Q whispered, caressing the short hair on Bond's neck.

- I really want this to work - Bond murmured.

- I really want it too - Q whispered in return, giving a heavy sigh before he spoke again - Are you really sure this is what you want? - he asked.

Bond understood that question, having had a past of disastrous romances made such a doubt totally legit; he couldn't blame Q, he didn't trust himself with it either.

- Yes, Quinny: this is what I want - he affirmed, pulling away the necessary to place a kiss on Q's forehead - I want you, your cats, your horrible cardigans... - Bond continued, smiling happily once Q laughed.

- James Bond, you're a disaster of a man - Q said with a smile and Bond could do nothing to complain.

Cupping Q's face in his hands again, Bond leaned to kiss him, losing himself in the feeling of those soft and thin lips that he had missed so much. It was a gentle kiss, despite how both of them were hungry for it, it was a kiss full of apologies, full of "I've missed you"; it was the most real emotion that Bond had ever felt, and he wanted all of it.

It was like coming back to life and now something finally made sense in his existence, at last there was something he couldn't doubt.

Q was the first to pull back, both of them gasping for air but smiling happily at eachother. Bond adjusted Q's glasses, which went askew in the kiss, gently pinching his nose and laughing as Q chuckled.

- I think there's something you need to know - Bond told him.

- Oh, my: what did you do this time? - Q asked, the smile fading.

- Nothing you don't already know - Bond chuckled.

- What is it, then? -

- I am co-parenting, with Madeleine. You obviously had to know, because it might happen that I take Mathilde over - Bond explained and didn't expect the excited smile that came in response.

- Really? - Q asked, looking far too pleased with it.

- You're happy? - Bond asked, surprised.

- Yes, I adore your daughter - Q answered.

Bond leaned to kiss Q's cheek with a bright smile, giving him a gentle squeeze in his arms.

- I'm glad you seem to be okay with it - he said.

- I'm totally okay with it - Q assured him.

They stayed like that, trapped in eachother's arms, not having any intention to break the contact any soon; for the first time, Bond was at ease with himself, nothing would have brought him to leave that wonderful man ever again.

Q is struggling with his period and James tries to help.

Trans!Q (obviously) and a lot of cuddles.

Request (kinda) from @amrtiamat and @gayshipsandanxiety

It was something I had already planned and left in my drafts because I didn't like it. So, I decided to change it but keeping the original idea.

Bond hated Q's stubbornness.

It was one of his better traits (at times) and the agent obviously had a thing for it, but when Q was refusing to leave work early because of his health it was just surprisingly annoying.

His period was giving him an hard time that day, forcing the quartermaster to lock himself in his office (in fear of MI6 staff asking questions he wasn't comfortable with) in a state in which he was unable to sit with decent posture due to the pain.

Bond had tried for an hour to convince Q to leave the place (and actually succeeded in the end); he knew that period cramps were making his lover more exhausted than he showed, and that the next day wasn't going to be better either.

Thus, Q had been forced home by Bond, any attempt of getting to work strictly forbidden.

The quartermaster was half laying on the sofa, wrapped in a huge blanket, while the agent walked out of the kitchen with a cup of Earl Grey.

- Thanks - Q muttered, not upset (not anymore) as his tone let to understand, but simply left lightheaded by the pain.

As the young man took the cup, Bond sat down next to him and pulled Q's legs onto his lap, caressing his knees.

- How do you feel? - the agent asked.

- I take the liberty of not replying - Q answered, sipping from his cup with a sigh.

Bond looked at his lover helplessly, wishing he had any clue about how to help.

There was always more than pain and cramps during Q's periods: in those days, all of his struggles came to light and James was able to see them in his eyes, not managing to carry the weight of Q's discomfort; he couldn't take the struggle away, just distract his lover from it and he hated feeling that helpless.

- Would you like another pill? - Bond asked and Q immediately shook his head.

- They're not quite working - he admitted.

The agent found himself humming in response, making a grimace in sympathy as Q gave a groan (likely due to pain increasing).

Trying to come up with a solution and ignoring another groan, Bond shifted on the sofa so that he could hold the quartermaster in his arms, attempting to comforting in any way possible.

He was extraneous to period cramps, which was counterproductive at the moment, but he wasn't extraneous to muscles pain; he knew that period cramps were caused by muscles stretching, so Q needed help relaxing.

- Wait a moment, sweetheart - Bond softly said before sliding away from Q and getting up.

There was only a grumble from the quartermaster as the agent headed for the kitchen, immediately taking out a pot in order to warm up some water.

- What are you doing? - Q asked from the livingroom.

- It's a surprise - Bond answered and chuckled as the young man mumbled something under his breath, with an irritated tone of voice.

As soon as the water had reached the right temperature, the agent poured it into an hot water bag.

- Would you like any chocolate? - Bond answered and took the package of sweets at Q's resulting grumbled.

The quartermaster was curled up on himself, the tea abandoned on the coffee table, when James came back. The agent gently tried to unwrap Q from the blanket, but he only held the cloth tighter.

- Nope - he grumbled and Bond had to hold back a chuckle.

- I have a surprise - the agent said and showed Q the bag.

As the quartermaster started collaborating, James was finally able to move the blanket from Q's chest and to rest the bag on Q's lower belly, before he eventually wrapped him back in the blanket.

With a happy sigh, the quartermaster closed his eyes, visibly more relaxed; he didn't even grumble as Bond moved him in order to be able to hold him in his arms.

- This is the best idea you've ever had - Q murmured, snuggling happily against James' chest.

- You're welcome - Bond replied, smiling softly as he noticed the relief in Q's expression.

Taking the package again, James brought a piece of chocolate to Q's lips, who frowned for a moment before eventually catching the sweet from the agent's fingers.

It went like that for a while: Q eating piece after piece while James tenderly held him and took care of him.

As the minutes passed, Bond could feel the young man relaxing more and more; feeling like Q was about to fall asleep, the agent set the chocolate apart and ran a hand into his lover's hair, trying and soothing him to sleep.

Q gave a content groan as he hid his face in the crook of James' neck, breathing calmly against his skin and exhaling a happy sigh before it was obvious that he had in fact fallen asleep.

Bond looked at Q's calm and relaxed expression, gently caressing his cheek as he leaned to kiss his forehead, knowing that, finally, he was not in pain anymore. Not daring to move, the agent kept holding Q tight, listening to his calm and sleepy breath.

Writing this on the first day of period is another level of pain.

Bond, Q and a technician end up into M's office after Bond had a fight with the technician in order to defend Q.

Related to the trans!Q post.

The tension was palpable in the room as the three faced their boss, waiting for him to say something about their presence in there.

Bond had found himself in-between, standing directly in front of M, while Q was nervously staring at the ground, breathing through his mouth as his bloody nostrils had been filled with cotton wool in order to interrupt a hemorrhage that 007 wasn't very proud of; on Bond's right side, stood a technician of unknown identity, who kept his head high as if he was trying to convince himself that he could stand M's hard gaze without shivering.

Both the agent and the technician had a bruised eye, however the technician was flaunting a bloody cut on his left cheek and a few smaller bruises over the skin.

- Explain - M groaned, after staring at the three men for half a minute, reproaching them only by looking utterly disappointed.

- I had a fair reason - 007 immediately snapped, struggling to form words because of his swollen cheek.

- I don't doubt that - M mocked him

A quiet sigh escaped the technician's nostrils, while the quartermaster was visibly tensing next to 007.

- I just need to know why you three thought that picking a fight in the middle of Q-branch was a good idea - M continued, leaning forward as he rested his fists on the wooden desk.

- Sir, I... - Q started.

- Q has nothing to do with this - Bond quickly interrupted him, getting his boss' attention back to himself.

There was a shift in M's posture for a short moment as the man lost contact with the desk in order to stand upright once again, glaring at the agent with an icy dare.

- Then, 007, I'm sure you wouldn't mind explaining why my quartermaster looks like he has actively taken part in the fight -

∆

It had happened approximately half an hour before the three had been called into M's office.

Bond was heading for Q-branch with his usual pace, actually in a good mood for once. Q-branch was as peaceful as always (as peaceful as a bunch of technicians that daily worked with explosives could be) and the agent immediately spotted Q working at his desk.

- Good morning, 007 - the quartermaster said, not even needing to raise his gaze to recognise who was approaching him.

- Q - Bond replied, stopping right next to his quartermaster with that usual smirk he always gave whenever he spoke to Q: almost amused and pleased.

The quartermaster's willowy figure was wrapped into a chunky jumper, one of his favourites (if Bond hadn't overestimated the number of times Q had worn it), and he looked quite relaxed, at ease in his subterranean world.

- Is my equipment in one piece? - Q questioned.

- Almost - Bond answered and could almost imagine the kind of reaction he would have gotten.

- What does that even mean? - Q snapped, not loud enough to be heard from the whole room, as he finally decided to give his complete attention to the agent.

Without replying to Q's concerned voice, Bond placed an apparently intact gun on the table. At the sight, the quartermaster looked up at the agent as if 007 was making a fool of him.

- The fingerprint system is damaged - Bond quickly explained.

Still somewhat unsure about whether he should have taken it seriously or not, Q held the gun in his tapered fingers, examining the weapon from every angle.

- I'm impressed - Q said, with a sharp smile, before moving to store the gun away from his desk.

It was right while the agent looked as the quartermaster walked away that Bond heard it: it wasn't a voice he remembered (probably because he didn't need to), so he concluded it was a technician.

- ...I mean, he has an high position in MI6 - was all Bond's ears could catch.

He pretended to be focused on the most random (and of doubtful origin) object on Q's desk, trying to capture something more, informations that weren't only confused and single words.

When the quartermaster returned to his desk, Bond was already more than sure that the subject of the argument was Q, which was never a good thing.

- He's frail: he must have had some training -

By the quiet sigh Q gave, the agent became aware of the fact that he could hear the technician from there as well.

Bond turned his torso, in order to be able to glance at the technician: it was a man with blond hair and dark eyes, speaking not so far from them.

- He's womanly - the technician said, at some point, ignoring how his interlocutor gave him notice to shut up.

∆

- I didn't say that - the technician immediately protested as Bond continued with the resume of the events.

The agent turned towards him, intimidating and with closed fists.

- I wonder why I didn't punch your mouth as well - he growled.

- I didn't say that - the technician exclaimed, leaning forward Bond.

- Yes, you did - Q replied, sounding nervous under his usual sharp tone.

∆

As he registered those words, Bond moved away from the desk, his eyes locked on the technician.

- Bond - Q immediately called him, moving away together with the agent.

Bond, however, completely ignored the quartermaster's attempt to stop him as he kept walking towards the technician.

He knew Q had heard and understood, and was aware of how those words could hurt him in a second (even if he wasn't supposed to know such).

- You should listen to him and shut your mouth - Bond snapped, while the other technician, after being ignored once again as he tried to get the man to stay silent, quickly stepped away.

- Sounds like an order, 007 - the technician replied, nonchalantly.

- It is - Bond affirmed, feeling Q stopping a few steps back.

- I don't take orders from double-0s - the technician snapped, moving in order to turn around and leave.

The agent clicked forward, grabbing the man's wrist and preventing him to step further, accidentally getting the whole room's attention.

- Bond, there's no need - Q quickly said, moving to stand next to the agent, looking at him directly.

007 turned to face Q, seeing the determination and demand in his green eyes; he eventually let the technician go, visibly reluctantly, but not daring to challenge his quartermaster.

- Overhearing isn't nice, 007 - the technician snapped.

- When a knobhead can't measure their words, it's fair for someone to let them know - Bond instantly replied, keeping his voice deep.

Glancing once again at Q, the determination still in those greyish eyes, the agent did to turn around and just leave, not having enough alertness to notice and prevent the technician's movement. A fist hit his left cheek, leaving him to stumble for a couple of steps, before he gave the punch back.

Everyone froze and the room got dead silent.

- You two had better stop - Q exclaimed, giving an order that went neglected as the technician fell on the ground.

- Hitting a double-0 might be dumbest thing you'll ever do in your life - Bond groaned.

The technician spitted blood on the concrete ground, looking up at the agent with an irate hiss, slowly getting up.

- Don't you dare, Evans - Q immediately said as the technician closed his hands in two fists again.

Despite the quartermaster's continuous attempts of maintaining the order and prevent things from escalating further, Bond was ready for another stroke, alert enough at last.

However, when the technician moved his right fist again, Q had the bad timing to grab the agent and try to draw him back from the fight, which cause 007 to lose stability and not be able to avoid the punch, that went right to his eye.

In order to gain steadiness again, Bond made a sudden movement with his arm, noticing how his elbow hit something. In that same instant, Q let the agent go out of the blue, giving a loud groan before he fell and hit the ground.

Bond had the instinct to drop the fight and check on Q, but instead decided to throw one last fist towards Evan's cheek, right before Tamara broke into the scene to grab the technician away.

- Shit...shit - Q cursed quietly, in a voice that Bond considered too nasal.

Turning around to finally check on him, the agent found the quartermaster half laying on the ground, blood streaming from both of his nostrils into two scarlet rivulets, his eyes wide as he became aware of the hemorrhage.

Bond's guts twisted in guilt as he rushed to Q, welcomed by wet eyes when he knelt down beside the quartermaster.

- I'm really sorry - was all he could say, just looking as Q covered his nose with his hand, not daring to touch him.

∆

- And then Tanner accompanied Q to the medical - Bond finished.

M nodded, his expression indicating how he was expecting a story of such a chaotic nature.

- Is your nose broken? - M then asked, speaking to Q.

- No, sir - the quartermaster replied, promptly shaking his head.

Bond gave an heavy sigh, glaring at the technician with the corner of his eyes while their boss decided about their fate.

- Q, you can go - M eventually said.

Q nodded and Bond noticed how he wanted to say something in response.

- Sir, 007 was just... - the quartermaster started.

- I'll discuss it in a moment. It's none of your concerns. Now go - M interrupted him, sounding inflexible.

Eventually, Q had no chance but nod again and obediently walk towards the door.

- Thank you, sir - he said, before disappearing out of the room.

They felt silent for a moment, M staring at them with an expression hardly interpretable.

- Bond, why did you hit back? - M questioned.

- Firstly, because he hit me first; secondly because... let's just say that I had the chance to understand how Q can be sensitive about his body - Bond explained with a shrug, trying to analyse the look that M gave him in return.

There was surprise, but also sympathy in such an expression: M knew, Bond concluded.

- Get out - M snapped, definitely harsher than he had been with Q a moment before.

Bond left without hesitation not protests, closing the door behind himself without a word.

Waiting for him, there was Q, looking concerned as he quickly approached Bond.

- So? - he asked and the agent shrugged.

- He dismissed me - Bond answered and Q sighed in relief, his entire body softening.

- Thank you - the quartermaster said.

007 remained surprised on the spot, not able to reply for a few seconds.

- What for? - he eventually managed.

- Defending me - Q explained and Bond smirked.

- That's basic humanity - 007 replied.

Q tried to laugh at that, but the sound came out as nasal and not as free as usual, probably because he was afraid of causing himself pain.

- I'm not proud of the mess I caused, though - Bond admitted, referring to Q's nose, almost muttering

- Well, you could make it up by coming over to mine - Q suggested, giving a shrug that was meant to be nonchalantly.

Bond smiled, intrigued by the offer.

- Tea and cuddles like last time? - he asked, lowering his voice.

- Hell yeah - Q immediately answered, giving a quick nod.