doubleohblonde | Office Hours [All Day, Tuesday]

As soon as he'd said it, Bond had remembered he wasn't talking to a grown woman able to more than hold her own, but rather a frantic teenager, barely more than a child.

Which was why he made no move to stop or avoid her hand as it connected with his cheek, leaving a red mark.

"And you expect me to trust you."

It was a whisper, delivered as coldly as she could. Aravis had gotten her emotions under control, but her voice vibrated with suppressed rage.

"I'm sorry," Bond said quietly. "I shouldn't have said that."

"No, you should not," she agreed quietly. "Unless that is what you are planning, in which instance you should know that I will not allow that to happen."

"I'm not," Bond said softly. "I forgot who I was talking to and went too far in making my point."

Aravis nodded slowly. "I am not her," she said quietly, though he knew that. "I don't know who she was, or what she meant to you, or how you behaved with her, but we are not the same person. Do not threaten my loved ones. I don't have very many anymore. Do it again and a slap will be the least of my actions against you."

Bond looked at her for a long moment. "Sit," he said, opening his desk drawer.

Aravis stared, since that wasn't at all what she had expected, but she sat. If he tried anything, she'd just scream or hit him or something.

Bond took out the bottle of Glenfiddich from the drawer as well as two glasses. He carefully poured out the whisky, then slid one of the glasses across to Aravis. "Drink."

Aravis raised a brow. "What?"

"Drink," Bond repeated, bringing his own tumbler to his lips.

She'd seen him pour from the same bottle. If he was poisoning her, he was poisoning himself as well.

She hesitantly sipped.

"She drowned," Bond said quietly, lowering his glass.

"Oh."

She didn't need to ask who.

"In front of me," Bond added after a moment, gazing thoughtfully at his glass. "The day before I came to this godforsaken island as it happens."

"No wonder you reacted to me as you did," she said quietly, not exactly unkindly.

"The kicker of it all was she didn't have to," Bond said. "I would hardly have held it against her if she'd chosen her own skin over mine."

Aravis nodded, processing that.

"You love her."

It wasn't a question, nor was it in past tense.

Bond nodded. "Very much so."

She was quiet for a long moment, and then simply said, "I am sad for your loss."

Bond inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"I didn't touch your young man," he said quietly. "Simply because I know what I intend to do to those responsible for what happened to her."

"I know that now," she said quietly, nodding once. "I -- he's all I've got. Everyone else has died or might as well have. So...I understand."

Bond studied her for a long moment. "Yes, I think you might."

Aravis shrugged a shoulder. "And I...if it would be easier on you, in my native country, the women cover their faces in veils. I still have some, if it would help."

Bond shook his head. "Not, that's not necessary. Thank you for the offer though."

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