"Are you sure you're alright?" Q held James's forearms.

The Tiger gave him a soft grin as he glowed bluewhite in the moonlight. The mission had been rough. Somewhere in America and of course they had their hands on American tech which, of course, had to be the highest quality explosive. The only thing Americans knew how to do, blow things up. The fire ball had torn up five blocks with the shockwave completely obliterating the building it had been set off in. It was like a nuclear explosion, fire and ash. 007 had been running. Q only remembered screaming himself hoarse at the two agents to get out of there. The minions had cowered from his high pitched, croaking scream and randomly beating wings. He was fairly sure he had knocked over three towers and broken one of the great screens on the wall.

No one had died. Both agents made it out and the retrieval team made it to the right place at the right time. 004 had gotten completely out of range. 007, infuriatingly, had paused to pick up his gun and got a little damage. The left side of him looked like a harsh sunburn and his shoulder was open and a little bloody where the dead skin had had to be removed. Now it was carefully bandaged under the Raven's gentle fingers.

James leaned forward. "I am now." He touched his forehead to the Quartermaster's.

The Raven wrapped his wings around him lightly and felt the scorched tail rest on his calf. Normally it would wrap around him and hold his leg but the agent hurt. It hurt Q too. A gentle ache in the side of his chest that slowly burned and reprieved as James recovered. Said man lipped at his ear.

Q snickered and tapped him lightly. "Go get a shirt you, then we'll order take-out and crash for the night."

007 leaned back grinning at his Raven. "That sounds glorious."

The Siberian Tiger slowly but steadily passed through the doorway to the bedroom. Q watched his back fondly. He turned to the mess at the front door. James's coat had been tossed aside along with his suit top. Q raked up the coat and hung it neatly by the door. He smoothed it down gently and admired the black crossing his own dun-green windbreaker. With a smiling sigh the Raven bent down and grabbed the last piece of clothing. He flipped it over his arm.

A spark flew from the pocket. It hit the floor and rolled with a metallic buzz. The small circle fell on its side in the light from the window. Q's eyes widened. The little circle sparkled, it glowed, it glittered a hundred different colors. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The sheen glinted against his eyes. Q's wings pumped as he knelt down. With one finger he touched. The light flickered and rainbows spread across his wondering vision. It was a ring, beautifully laden with clear gemstones that caught the moon's ghostly glow and reflected. Finally the Quartermaster picked it up and let it entrance him from his open palm.

"Pretty isn't it?" Bond purred from the doorway, smoothing down his shirt. "Picked it up during the mission."

"Shiny." Q said breathlessly.

He shook his head to straighten it out. He looked up only to find James kneeling with him on the floor. The agent held out a hand. Q reluctantly placed the ring in his hand. The blue eyes glinted and looked from the ring up to his Raven purposefully.

"Alexander, you can keep this," He twisted the ring at just the right angle to catch the light amazingly, "If you tell me something."

That made Q look away. "I would tell you anything James. You don't have to bribe me with shiny things."

The Tiger leaned forward, "But I wanted to."

Q studied him then nodded. "Of course."

James picked the ring between his fingers, looking right in the green eyes. "Will you marry me, Alex?"

Q opened his mouth in shock. He worked his jaw like a fish for a moment the he pushed himself forcefully forward with his wings and crashed into James's lips.

"Yes. Yes. Oh my God, yes." The Raven pushed himself into 007's lap.

The agent grinned like a madman and accepted every hasty, enthusiastic movement. Somewhere in the midst, he slipped the shining ring over Q's finger. It fit perfectly and was guaranteed to stay put for a very long time. The Tiger purred happily and Q, for once, basked in the glitter of a permanent fixture.