Title: No Common Ground To Start From
Fandom: Skyfall
Rating: NC-17
Length: ~ 1400 words
Author notes: Fills this prompt at 007kinkmeme
Summary: Q wants to revenge his sister's death to a certain 00-agent.



Vesper had been the only constant thing in his life. And now she was gone. No more midnight marathon chats, or random souvenirs from her trips around the world. There is just a gaping hole where his heart used to be.

But he is patient, oh he is. He will get his revenge. James Bond must suffer like he did. It will be his life mission from now on.

It’s easier than he thought it would be. With his skills and intelligence it’s almost ridiculously easy to get a trainee position in the Q Division of MI6. They never make the connection between him and Vesper – how could they when she was using their mother’s maiden name her whole adult life, and he chose to keep her married name? Nobody suspects anything when their records from their East Germany times are incomplete. If only they knew how much of the information is his invention instead of truth.

People talk. Of missions, of double-0 agents, and especially of Bond. Even hearing his name makes his chest tighten; how could he still breathe, still live even though Vesper is dead? Drowned because of his recklessness. A man like him shouldn’t be allowed to be a double-0 agent anymore. Bond doesn’t even mourn for his sister, but moves from a woman to a woman to a man, fulfilling his sexual desires. Is that what Vesper ever was to him, a convenient bedmate to satisfy him while on mission? It hurts more than it should.

He ignores the little voice in his head that tells him Vesper wasn’t perfect herself. You should never talk ill of the dead.

It doesn’t take long before Q's talents are discovered and he is promoted from a trainee to R. A bold move, and not everyone is happy with it. R is accused of sleeping with both Q and M to earn his position; he always replies it’s Tanner he’s sleeping with. Nobody believes him, and soon he is left alone. (ironically, it’s the truth, because via Tanner he always knows where Bond is)

Agent Moneypenny goes and kills Bond. How stupid of her. He can’t help it if there are little faults here and then to her equipment. Not enough to get her killed, but enough to cause her irritation. If he can’t get Bond because of her mistake, he will make sure her life is miserable as well.

R should have known killing Bond wasn’t going to be that easy. When Bond yet again returns from the dead, R is more excited that he lets on. His latest modification of Moneypenny’s gun is ditched and in her next mission she receives the same standard equipment like anyone else.

The bombing of the headquarters is unexpected, but it helps R in his mission. Following the death of the old Q he is appointed as the new Q and suddenly he has the entire world in his fingertips. He will finally get his revenge on Bond.

Their first meeting face to face does not go as planned. Q had planned it all, of how he would be icy but professional, letting his disdain against the older man drip from his every word. Instead he is stunned by Bond’s charm, visible even with his bearded chin and haggard looks. Those blue eyes are impossible, and together with Bond’s sharp wit Q has no chance at all. And the bastard flirts with him, but it's hard to tell if it's just his common reaction to everything that moves and talks, or is it meant purely for him. Of course, the fact that Bond treats him like a child (which he very much isn't, thank you very much!) does not help at all with Q's conflicted feelings. This is not how it was meant to go.

At least he didn't give Bond any more equipment that strictly necessary. If he gets killed during a mission, well, Q wouldn't be sorry. That's what the bastard deserves, after what happened to Vesper. It's not like he's qualified for fieldwork, anyway.

Against all odds Bond survives, even if he feeds his gun to a komodo.

Then the bloody fucking irritating 00-agent beats Q in his own game, and figures out the key to pass through Silva's security. Which, of course, is a trap – a one that Q fell into because he was too busy to show Bond he's competent in his job thank you very much. The fact that he can put Bond running after the Tube after it has already left the station somewhat soothes his bruised ego.

Then Bond asks him to break the rules, to keep M safe and to have Silva follow them. Part of Q thinks he really shouldn't listen to Bond and go with his risky plans – but the other part of him thinks that if he plays his cards right, he could make Bond the scapegoat should anything go wrong and have his revenge that way.

But it doesn't go as planned, not even remotely. Silva is dead, but so is M – and she died into James' arms. Q should be happy that he has finally got his revenge, for James is suffering terribly. The one person who trusted him when no-one else did is gone, and James is all alone in the world. Just like how Q was all alone when Vesper died. And yet Q does not feel any satisfaction when his ultimate goal has been accomplished.

More importantly: when, exactly, did he start calling James by his first name instead of his last name or title?

One evening, when Q is supposed to brief James about his upcoming mission in Biras, France (although Q has no idea what could possibly interest terrorists in a village with only 362 inhabitants, but his job is to provide gadgets, not second-guess where the agents are going on their missions), he freezes. He can't go on like this anymore.

"Vesper was my sister."

An oppressive silence falls. James' eyes are cold as ice on a January Alaskan morning, and bluer than the sky never is. Without a word, he turns on his heels and leaves the Q Department, leaving Q standing there like a fool that he is.

That night Q can't concentrate on anything job-related, so against his habits he calls it a day at midnight. There is a surprise waiting him at his tiny apartment, in a form of a certain 00-agent with a bottle of Möet chilling in the cooler.

"I'm sorry I left so suddenly. I didn't know what to do. Please forgive me."

Q can't help but think what made James change his mind.

"I did some digging, and… I know what it feels like to lose a family member so suddenly."

Of course James does.

"I did love her, you know. I almost left MI6 because of her."

Oh. Q didn't know that. Then again, he should have expected that. His sister was truly an extraordinary person after all. Q hesitates for a moment before removing his cardigan and the dress shirt underneath it. Taking a deep breath, he turns his back to James and waits patiently. He feels more than hears James' nearly silent gasp when he sees the tattoo that fills out most of his back: a vibrant butterfly in yellow and black, symbolizing the magic of life and how everything can change so drastically in an instant.

James tracks the outlines of his tattoo with his fingertips, mapping the outlines of the tattoo so gently, so gently. Those feather-like touches soon turn to something more, something charged and electrifying. Q turns to face James, and kissed the older man soundly. Yes. This is what he wants, right here, right now. They can think about the consequences later, and what this all means to them. At this moment all Q wants is to be naked with James, preferably in bed. Although he's not picky, as long as they're both naked and having sex.

They don't make it to bed, or even bedroom. It's right there and then where Q rides James's cock fervently, enjoying the stretch and James's grunts beneath him. It's over way too soon, but they are both too desperate to draw out the experience. Q comes with a shout, and James follows him just a moment later.

They are naked, a tangled web of limbs and discarded clothes, and Q has never felt more complete. This is where he belongs, with a man who once loved his sister.