[Some things take effort to forgive, and some things never can be. Bond wonders, distantly, if M is someone he can forgive or someone he can't. He thinks he knows the answer already, under all that anger, and he doesn't want to think on it too hard. So he focuses on Cassel, holds him close with a hand on the back of his head. It's a protective, paternal instinct that he doesn't recognize, wouldn't want to. It's easier, always, to just act.
Cassel is someone he can forgive, James doesn't even need to think about that. Things have changed, he knows, because years ago he might not have been able to do it. He'd have held a grudge, no matter that Cassel had no say in it. It's a wonder he can forgive at all after Alec's knife in the back - but it's not that difficult, to look at this situation and convince himself that this boy wasn't at fault.
Patting Cassel's back, he pulls away to look down at his face again.]
spam;
Cassel is someone he can forgive, James doesn't even need to think about that. Things have changed, he knows, because years ago he might not have been able to do it. He'd have held a grudge, no matter that Cassel had no say in it. It's a wonder he can forgive at all after Alec's knife in the back - but it's not that difficult, to look at this situation and convince himself that this boy wasn't at fault.
Patting Cassel's back, he pulls away to look down at his face again.]
All right?