Eggsy filled Harry's glass with eggnog and the two of them looked at it suspiciously.

"Whisky said it was the best," Eggsy said, holding up his glass and looking at the milky white liquid.

Harry glanced at the label on the bottle. Statesman's own Eggnog. He raised the glass hesitantly to his lips and took a sip. His eyebrows raised.

"You know it's not entirely terrible," he said after a moment's pause.

Eggsy took a swig. "'Ey! You're right!" he smiled, taking another gulp.

Harry looked at the contents of the bottle. "Go easy, Eggsy, or you won't make it to the end of the night."

Eggsy laughed. He knew well enough anything from Statesman was going to have an inordinate amount of alcohol in it. And while he normally wouldn't mind, today was Christmas Eve, and he knew he should probably go easy. He didn't want a hangover on Christmas morning.

Eggsy sipped his drink as he watched Tilde entertain their many guests. Christmas's at Eggsy's house had always been very small affairs, but now that he was a prince, things were rather different. He was just glad to have a piece of home with him in Harry, or he would have felt very out of place.

"How do you usually spend Christmas, Harry?" Eggsy asked after a moment's silence.

Harry looked startled. "Generally with a good book by the fire. Perhaps a bit of cooking."

"Alone?"

Harry's eye darted towards the floor. "The last Christmas I spent with others was with Merlin, and your father."

Eggsy's attention was suddenly caught.

"We were on a mission," Harry continued. "Your mother had managed to get us a few bottles of whiskey and we sang and drank and told stories…" Harry's voice trailed off. He never ceased to get emotional when speaking about Eggsy's father. "It was one of the best Christmas's I ever spent."

"And that was the last Christmas you ever spent with anyone?" Eggsy asked.

Harry nodded. "Kingsman were not supposed to have relationships, familial or otherwise. It was far too painful."

Eggsy reached out and patted Harry's hand. "But you're here with us now, Harry, and things are going to be alright."

Harry smiled at his young friend. "Thank you for inviting me, Eggsy. This is a very grand party."

Eggsy grinned. "Tilde does amazing things with a party planner and a big budget."

Harry laughed.

The two of them were silent for a time as they watched the guest's mill about, laughing and talking and having a good time. After a few minutes a middle aged woman with an absurd amount of makeup on approached them. She put her hand on the back of Harry's chair and leaned forward.

"Hello there, handsome," she said a bit drunkenly.

Harry nearly fell off the back of his chair in an attempt to distance himself from the woman.

"Hello there," he said awkwardly.

"What's wrong with your eye?" she asked, reached out her hand to touch his face.

"I got shot," he said quickly, pulling back from her.

She put her hand on his shoulder. Harry looked increasingly uncomfortable. "Goodness!" she exclaimed, leaning closer. "What happened?"

"I told someone I was a catholic whore with a Jewish boyfriend, killed almost an entire church congregation in Kentucky, and then Richmond Valentine shot me in the face."

The woman looked rather startled, and without another word, turned and walked away. Harry let out a sigh of relief.

"Works every time."

Eggsy burst into a fit of laughter.

"Who the hell was that, Eggsy?" Harry asked, turning back to his eggnog.

"One of Tilde's cousins, I think. She's been stone drunk every time I've met her, so sometimes it's difficult getting correct information."

Harry smiled. Eggsy paused a moment, a thought coming into his head.

"Harry," he said after a moment.

"Yes, Eggsy?" Harry replied.

"You know, this brings up something I've been meaning to ask you."

"Yes?"

"It's, erm… kinda personal. It's probably not my right to ask you anyways, it's just you're so secretive I've been dying to know."

"I tend to doubt there'd be much you could ask me that would be particularly shocking," Harry said with a smile.

Well, you asked for it, Eggsy thought to himself.

"Harry, are you interested in blokes?"

Harry Hart's eye widened and his eyebrows raised. "Eggsy –"

"See!" Eggsy exclaimed. "I knew it wasn't a good idea. But you said I could ask. It's just… you know almost everything about me, and I know just about nothing about you. I'm really sorry, I –"

"Steady on, Eggsy," Harry said warningly.

Eggsy looked up at him hesitantly. What exactly did that expression on his face mean?

Harry stood from his seat, glass in hand, and walked towards the glass doors that lead out onto the balcony. Eggsy dropped his head into his hands. What an idiot. Why had he thought asking Harry that was even close to appropriate?

Harry paused with his hand on the doorknob and turned to look at Eggsy.

"Are you coming?" he asked.

Eggsy looked up. "You mean?"

"Eggsy get off your arse and come here."

Eggsy jumped out of his seat and followed Harry out onto the balcony. It was cold and crisp and beautiful compared to the warm and rather stuffy indoors. Eggsy wondered why they hadn't come out here sooner. Harry moved to the edge of the balcony and put his hand on the railing.

"Now look, Harry," Eggsy started. "I really shouldn't have said anything."

"No it's quite alright," Harry responded. "I'm just surprised you expected me to say anything in the company of so many people. Not even Merlin knew this about me. It's not something I go spreading about willy nilly."

Eggsy's eyes widened. "So you do like blokes?"

"No," Harry responded.

Eggsy felt confused. "So, you like girls?"

"No," Harry said again. "Well, not in the traditional sense," he added after a moment.

Eggsy walked up beside Harry. "I'm not quite sure I follow," he said hesitantly.

"Growing up with six brothers, talk of ladies was something I had to live through nearly every day." He paused and rolled his eyes. "The amount of magazines I had to endure. Makes me almost glad I've only got one eye now."

Harry paused, and Eggsy said nothing.

"Growing up in the 70's and 80's it wasn't easy to not be interested in having sex with women. Everyone assumed what they believed to be the only other option. It became nearly all everyone talked to me about. When was I going to get a boyfriend? 'I know someone who's gay, you'd be perfect for each other!' I got tired of it pretty quickly."

"But Harry, if you don't like blokes, and you don't like girls, then… what's left?"

"You're a bit slow today, Eggsy." Harry turned and looked at his friend. "No one ever really understood, so I just gave up explaining. Being part of Kingsman helped because I wasn't supposed to be in a relationship with anyone anyways. They've got a word for it now, and apparently it's much more common than anyone ever said."

"Y-you mean, you don't like… anybody?"

"There we go," Harry grinned. "With a bit of prodding you've finally reached the mark. They split it into two categories these days. Romantic and sexual attraction."

"What's the difference?" Eggsy asked honestly.

"I believe sexual attraction speaks for itself. Romantic attraction involves an emotional response without the necessity for a physical one. For example, I may desire to have dinners, outings, and long walks on a beach with someone, for me it is with women, and perhaps even prolonged physical contact, but I do not desire to take them to bed with me."

"So like a friendship?"

"A bit, but more than that. A desire for a romantic partner might include wanting to move in with them, sleep in the same bed, share a short kiss, and even raise children. Not something one typically does with a friend."

Eggsy let out a thoughtful sigh and looked out over the balcony.

"I always used to think I must be broken," Harry said suddenly. "Sometimes I'm still not entirely sure one way or the other."

Eggsy turned to him and put his hand on his arm. "Bruhv, you're not broken," he said quickly. "That I know for sure."

Harry looked at Eggsy and smiled. "Thank you, Eggsy," he said gently.

"Alright," Eggsy grinned. "It's getting to somber here, let's lighten up a bit. It's Christmas after all."

Harry laughed.

"So I gotta ask. If you don't like blokes or girls, does that mean – you've never – that you're a ver-"

"Eggsy, I do believe you've asked me enough personal questions for the day."

Eggsy held up his hands. "Right, right, sorry! Whatta you say we go back inside? Sounds like they've started dancing, maybe we can find you someone to go on long walks on the beach with!"

Eggsy laughed, and so did Harry, and they went inside together.