#bond's passport in casino royale shows a dob on 13 april

[drswannbond]

Headcanon: James' birthday

The party invitation is extended to him by a giggling Mathilde, one or two sideway looks thrown at Madeleine betraying that this has been a well-rehearsed mission. Now that the Swanns are progressively introducing him into all aspects of their lives, he's more often than not at their London apartment anyway, but he relishes the sweet validation that they do want and expect him in their family.

The birthday party itself is a colorful affair: not only is there a big cake with candles that he gets to blow with the help and pudgy arms of an enthusiastic five-year-old, there are also heaps of presents. A delicious concept of long-buried familiarity, like a soft toy found hibernating under the bedding in one's childhood bedroom. First comes a watch, simple in design but whose large white wristband has been drawn on with a child's trembling approximations of ships and seagulls (« For when we go to Jamaica », Mathilde proclaims with finality) ; a turquoise turtleneck that brings a soft look to Madeleine’s eyes when he puts it on over his henley, and that he promises to himself to investigate later ; a couple of photography books that he remembers casually mentioning while they were strolling along a Leica store ; and, finally and deceptively innocuously, a whole pile of children’s books.

He raises an inquisitive eyebrow at the Swann council, his ladies sharing a secret smile and Madeleine placing her hand in Mathilde's as she announces that it is time he be introduced to their bedtime ritual. They thus spend the remainder of the afternoon reading together, bundled up on the couch with their feet propped up on a coffee table now drowning under vibrant paper wrappings. Mathilde is a tough customer, interjecting here and there to demand that James pitch his voice shriller for the Rose or deeper for the Fox, prompting a literary debate he would have never in a million years imagined he would get to voice his opinion in. Madeleine refrains from chiming in, but he can surmise from the way her chest shakes on the other end of the couch and from the mirth in her eyes that he has a long way to go before he's deemed master storyteller.

If his voice is a little raw and hoarse when they finally put Mathilde to bed, no one comments on it, still high from the thrill of sharing so many adventures. Cuddling quietly with Madeleine afterwards amidst the remains of the feast feels only natural, expanding the weighty warmth that seems to have taken permanent residence in his chest, the stem of his glass of wine coming to tickle her leg while she massages his scalp and twines her fingers around silvering strands of hair - longer now that he formally retired and ditched the military cut. Humming in contentment, he lets his thoughts wander to what stories they will pick up next.

#bond's passport in casino royale shows a dob on 13 april #there you have it #started writing this on 14 april before burying it in my drafts so it's kinda ok #just fashionably late #james bond #007 #madeleine swann #no time to die #mathilde swann #00swann #bondeleine #headcanon #spectre