"Morning, darling."

Picard was reading a novel that had mystery and a romance. For some reason his mind drifted back to three years ago when Q had appeared on the same bed with Picard and before he even left, Q had kissed Picard's forehead. He thought back to how Q had acted as though there was no such thing as personal space. The novel had a discussion regarding a character acknowledging how another character had purely and relentlessly acted as though they were in love which was left oblivious to the crush. He was in his apartment in San Fransisco.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Come in." Picard said.

And in strolled Data.

"Data, what brings you here?" Picard asked.

"Do you have experience in asking a man out for a date?" Data asked.

That stumped the captain.

"Is it with Geordi?" Picard asked.

"Why yes, it is." Data asked.

Picard had a smile, leaning back into the chair.

"Data, whatever he likes to do will be the best way to ask." Picard said.

"So I should ask 'what do you like to do on shore leave'." Data said.

Picard nodded.

"Exactly," Picard said. "I don't know if he can ice skate. . . . Data, when did you discover you were gay?"

"I suppose. . . I have been this way my entire life when looking through a different mirror with emotions," Data said. "Riker suggested I ask you, Troi did the same, and and--"

"You told everyone?" Picard asked.

"Negative." Data said.

"If everyone knows, then your experience would likely be ruined because then he will know, and I want to say, discovering that if he likes you the same way is the best thing you can do," Picard said. "Personal experience, Data, is what makes us human and I believe you have been more than human for the past eight years. Telling him yourself would make it a special moment between you two. Those are the moments I treasure like many people."

"But when I met you, I did not have the experience that made me human." Data said.

"Data, I believe you are not aware, but you have a soul. That is what makes you human." Picard said.

"I have one question." Data said.

"What is it?" Picard asked.

"For a long time, I saw my relationship with Geordi as a friend, for eight years, and in that amount of time I have seen one person get under your skin and still you tolerate him. I have been wondering what kind of friendship you share with Q. He acts very, plainly, attracted to men rather than woman. Amanda paid me a visit and told me about her lessons and how he would be flirting with a man younger than him. Who was not a Q. I am curious, captain, how you have not reacted to being courted by Q for eight years. His last visit months ago has now me convinced. I understand how moments in time are treasured by humanity."

Picard sighed.

"He kissed my forehead." Picard said.

Data did not appear to be surprised.

"I am not surprised," Data said. "Captain, thank you for your advice."

Picard smiled.

"You are welcome, Mr Data." Picard said.

Data left.

"Q, you can stop lingering as a fly on the wall." Picard said.

In a white flash Q fell from the ceiling landing on the floor with a startled yelped still in his mid fifties. He was in civilian attire not command which was unusual for the entity. The Entity reappeared in the comfortable chair, unphased, across from the captain with elbows on the armrest and his hands clutched together. There was that familiar expression on his face. One that Picard had seen numerous times on the Enterprise D.

"Now how did you know I was a fly on the wall, mon capitaine?" Q asked.

"Is it true that you are gay?" Picard said.

"Everyone is so slow to acknowledge certain members in the federation are so gay," Q said. "Why admit it now?" He waved a finger. "When there has not been a gay federation president in . . . I don't know. . ." He flexed his fingers outwards. "Centuries!" He stood up from the chair. "Of course I am gay, Jean-luc! I am so happy you glad you acknowledged it."

Q turned toward the viewers.

"And by the way, the most used word cluster by Data is "Geordi, I . . ." Which we can all guess it will be in a few hours: "Geordi, I love you.'" Q said. "'Geordi' is the 93rd word most used in Data's vocabulary out of eight thousand six words."

Picard stood up putting the book to the side.

"Q, who are you talking to?" Picard asked.

"Nobody." Q turned away from the viewers.

"And how do you know that about Data?" Picard said.

"The internet." Q said.

"Q!" Picard said.

"I lied. I just know. Also, if you count 'La forge', Geordi's name is the sixty-seventh most used word that Data uses. And that's enough of Data," Q reappeared by Picard's side. "You were wondering why I displayed a public form of affection."

"You kissed my forehead!" Picard said.

"And I would have aimed for the lips if you were in a good mood," Q said. "Yes,like the lieutenant commander said, I have been courting you. I watched you grow old in your mind when tethered to the machine. Learn to play the flute and watch the woman you cared about dearly wither before your eyes. Be tortured over a stupid pair of lights. Paid you a visit when you were Locutus (which I admit, for a Q, that was terrifying speaking to a dictionary that wasn't updated). Be stuck in a time loop, over, and over, and over, dying." Q twirled his fingers in a circle. "And I have been watching for a long time with my Q-TV. Just not when you are reading because that is sooo boring."

"You have been stalking me." Picard said.

"Not twenty-for-seven. That's binge watching," Q said. "It is a thing. Sleep Hollow is pretty addicting on binge watching." Q made a bowl of popcorn appear and he held it out to Picard. "Popcorn?"

"Q, no!" Picard refused.

"Your luck." Q snapped his fingers.

The bowl of popcorn reappeared on the bridge of the USS Voyager on Janeway's lap.

"Why have you been courting me?" Picard asked.

"Because I like you," Q said. "And your shiny bald head that I absolutely love to rub."

Picard narrowed his eyes in the direction of Q.

"Eight years is a long time." Picard said.

"I start courting you when I first laid eyes on you," Q said. "And also, I have claimed you so that means no other Q can claim you as theirs. It is on your waist."

Picard pulled up his shirt to see the shape of the letter Q. He hadn't bothered to look at it for the past eight years. The marking was very unusual when he first noticed it eight years ago and it was just in a circular shape with no gaps in it. He knew his body from head to toe. Picard checked in to sick bay, had a scan, and Crusher reported there was nothing wrong. Not a sign of cancer. Not a liver mark. It was just a mark. But now? It had a circular gap in the middle with the tail ending. Picard pulled down his shirt looking over in the direction of Q with shock on his face.

"I put it there after my first visit," Q said. "Took eight years for the middle to vanish. Slow but subtle."

"Q, if you were interested in me then you could have approached me about it!" Picard said.

"And ruined eight years worth of 'getting to know' you?" Q asked. "No. I would do it the same way again--"

Picard brought the entity into a very unexpected kiss then he broke it.

"Are you capable of dating?" Picard asked.

Q smiled.

"Why of course, Jean-Luc," Q said. "Well, let's date until you get back onto a starship. How does that sound?"

"Preferable." Picard said, as Q's hand found themselves traveling to the backside of the older captain and Picard's hand found itself to Q's ass.

Q's eyes dilated and his cheeks blushed.

"Oh hold on!" Q said. "We are not having sex in public eye!"

Q snapped his fingers making the two vanish in a white flash.

"Data, I love you too."

The End.