I:

The first time was an accident.

It was a normal day, the ground wet from last night's rain. Eggsy had been walking toward the shop when a car noisily speeding past (Was the honking really necessary?) startled him. He jumped slightly, losing his balance when he accidentally stepped his foot into the soft ground, rather than the firm pavement he was expecting. Eggsy fell back, right into a puddle of mud and rainwater. The entire back of his suit was soaked, and he stared up at the sky.

Or that would have happened, anyway, if one Harry Hart hadn't caught him.

Eggsy felt himself stumble, and had just enough time to think, Shit, before he flailed out, falling backwards. Instead of falling into the mud, he landed in a pair of strong arms. His eyes looked up to be met with a pair of brown ones. Eggsy's heart rate accelerated when he realized it was Harry, peering down at him in concern.

Eggsy said the only thing his mind could supply him with.

"Well, hello there luv," He said. "Looks like I've fallen for you."

Harry's eyes crinkled with a smile. "You fell completely of your own accord, I simply caught you."

"You ain't making it very easy to romance you, Harry," Eggsy said with a huff.

"Of course," Harry said. "If you did all the work, there'd be nothing left for me do to for you."

Eggsy grinned comfortably at that. "Where'd you come from, anyway?"

"Is that your attempt at another one-liner? 'where have you been all my life' or some such?"

"Oh, shut it, Harry," Eggsy teased.

A pleasant silence fell, Eggsy still in Harry's arms from his fall. A gentle breeze was blowing Harry's normally pristine hair into his face. Eggsy thought it was rather charming, actually.

Harry exhaled softly. "Dear, I'm sure you're enjoying this moment as much as I am, as you look positively captivating right now. Perhaps we could get you onto your feet so I can kiss you properly?"

"Yes, Harry."

II:

The second time was a test. Eggsy was simply curious. Harry had caught him before, with absolutely no prompting. Hell, Eggsy didn't even know he was there until he was in Harry's arms, staring up at him, intercepted just before he was about to hit the ground. And the moment was nice, too. (This has nothing to do with the fact that his pick-up line flopped, shut up, Rox!)

So, the next time he and Harry were on opposite sides of the room, he took advantage of it.

"Hey Harry!" Eggsy shouted, getting Harry's attention. "I'm falling for you," he said with a wink, before raising his arms and falling over…

…and landing in Harry's arms.

"You're an idiot," Harry said, having caught Eggsy. "You could have been hurt, falling like that."

Eggsy grinned. "Yeah, but I wasn't. I knew you'd catch me, see."

Harry sighed and rolled his eyes, but was fighting a smile.

"Say, Harry?" Eggsy asked as Harry lifted him back up to a standing position, "did my line work better this time?"

"It is still incredibly cliché."

"That wasn't a no," Eggsy teased, stepping toward Harry with a smirk.

"No, it wasn't." Harry leaned forward and captured Eggsy's lips in a kiss.

III:

Eggsy sitting in the spare chair in Harry's office, looking at all the front page news stories absentmindedly. Harry was sitting at his desk, filling out paperwork. It was nice being with Harry, it always was. His entire house was a bit of a comfort to Eggsy. The only house that ever really felt like a home. Sure, the house itself wasn't that "homey", what with the dead butterfly collection and oddly clean bedroom. (Seriously, did Harry even sleep there? It didn't even look used. Not unless Eggsy was over the previous night, that is.)

However cheesy it was, Harry was home to Eggsy.

It didn't help his impatience, though.

"Harry." Eggsy spoke, breaking the silence. No response. "Harry?" he asked, louder this time, leaning forward. This also went without acknowledgement.

"I've got three nipples," he said with a complete pokerface. When Harry showed no reaction to the blatantly untrue statement, Eggsy snorted and slouched back.

"I learned how to make a cup of coffee just so I could draw dicks in the cream." Nothing.

"Once, I was dared to run naked in front of my teachers. I did it, and there wasn't even a cash incentive."

"JB once tore up a section of your floor, so I bought you that rug to cover it up."

"I love you but I'm too scared to tell you because you might not say it back."

"Your ice cream has been gone for weeks, I ate it and put a rock in the carton so the weight makes it seem full."

"I cried at the end of Titanic."

Harry still continued working. The pile of competed papers and files on the corner of his desk had built up. Harry stood up, picked up the stack, and moved as if to leave the room to place the files elsewhere.

"Hey Harry, catch me." Eggsy raised his arms into a T shape and let himself fall.

There was a flurry of papers, and Eggsy felt himself being caught right before he hit the floor.

"Shit," Harry said, looking around at the papers that he had dropped in order to catch Eggsy. "And those were in alphabetical order, too."

"You could've just let me fall, Harry, if it was that important," Eggsy said, rolling his eyes.

"I don't think that would work out very well," Harry said, lifting Eggsy back up onto his feet. "Because I love you too, Eggsy."

Eggsy's jaw dropped. "I, uh, thought you weren't paying attention?"

"You make it very difficult to concentrate on work."

Eggsy raised his eyebrows. "Is that so?"

"Quite," Harry stepped forward and ran a hand gently behind Eggsy's neck. "I am, after all, tits over arse in love with you, Eggsy Unwin."

Eggsy stared at Harry in awe for a moment before reaching his hands up to pull Harry in for a kiss. Eggsy felt Harry's hands hold him close as their lips intertwined. Harry kissed tenderly and passionately, and Eggsy loved every second of it. If I had to pick one thing to do for the rest of my life, Eggsy thought, It would be kissing Harry. And it was true. Harry kissed Eggsy like he was a breath of fresh air, the last one he was ever going to get.

Harry pulled back slightly, pausing the kiss. They rested their foreheads together, an easy smile gracing Eggsy's face.

Harry sighed softly. "We will have to discuss JB's house privileges. And your ice cream privileges."

Eggsy looked up to meet Harry's eyes. "Harry?" he said, grinning.

"Hm?"

"We can discuss that after you take me up to your bed and fuck me, right?" Eggsy said with a smirk.

"Whoever said we had to go up to my bed for that?" Harry said, pulling Eggsy back in for another kiss.

IV:

"Oh I see what this is, you don't think Harry could do it, do you?"

"No, that's not what I meant Eggsy." Roxy sighed, exasperated, before continuing. "Trust falls are one thing, but jumping –"

"Tell you what, Roxy. Let's make a bet. Loser takes the winner's next honeypot mission. That's fair, innt? Next time I'm in the same room with you and Harry, I'll trust-jump him, and when he catches me, you get my next honeypot."

"If he doesn't, you get mine," Roxy prompted.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. It ain't gonna happen, though," Eggsy said, waving his hands.

"Deal." Roxy held out her hand to shake. Eggsy took it, and they shook hands. Roxy suddenly gripped Eggsy's arm tighter, and pulled him closer so she could whisper threateningly into his ear.

"Have fun when Arthur tells us there's an old, wrinkly, fat, man who has information we need," Roxy said, not letting Eggsy slip away.

"Sure will," Eggsy retorted, " 'cause you'll be the one going."

Footsteps entering the room caused Roxy to finally relinquish her grip on Eggsy. Harry had walked into the room, holding a tablet. "Oh, hello Arthur," she said, looking pointedly at Eggsy. Eggsy rolled his eyes at her.

"Hello Lancelot, do you know where I could find Merlin, perhaps? I need to return his tablet."

"Maybe ask Galahad, I bet he could help you," Roxy said, kicking Eggsy in the shins.

Eggsy quickly searched his mind for something he could say that might give Harry a bit of warning. "Hey Harry?" he said, "I'm falling for you."

Harry must have realized what he was saying, because he tensed up. "Eggsy-"

Here goes nothing. Eggsy took a running leap at Harry. He landed easily in Harry's arms, bridal style.

"See, Rox? Easy," Eggsy said, not looking at Roxy. Instead, he met Harry's eyes because holy fuck that actually worked. Roxy grumbled something about "payback" in the background.

"It may have been easy," Harry noted, "but hardly without consequence," Harry said, swinging Eggsy back onto his feet and pointing at where Harry had dropped what he was carrying in order to catch Eggsy.

Roxy and Eggsy glanced over to Merlin's tablet, which was now laying in pieces on the floor, completely broken.

"Oh my god, Merlin is going to kill you," Roxy said, covering her mouth to hide her laughter as she walked out of the room. "Merlin!" she shouted, "you'll never guess what two idiots just broke your tablet!"

V:

"Eggsy?"

"Yes, Harry?" Eggsy said, not looking up from his phone.

"What do you say we go dancing?"

At that, Eggsy lifted his view up to Harry, who was simply reading a newspaper. "What, like for real?" He asked.

"No, I'd like to go dancing with the tooth fairy." Harry closed the paper with a sigh. "Yes, for real. Interested?"

"Oh, yes," Eggsy said, flashing a dazzling smile.

"Good, because we'll need to look the part to gain the trust of our mark."

Eggsy's face fell. Of course, they wouldn't be dancing for a fun outing, it was a part of a damn mission. Everything was, they were fucking Kingsman. Which is great and all, but Eggsy sorta wanted the simplicity of a normal couple. The domesticity of it.

"It doesn't count as 'for real' if it's for a mission," Eggsy pouted.

"No, but practice beforehand does." Harry stood up and gestured for Eggsy to do the same. "And I've been told I am an excellent teacher."

"What, now?" Eggsy sighed. "There ain't even any music, luv."

"Eggsy," Harry said pointedly.

Eggsy sighed and stood up. He shrugged a "so what?" motion, which Harry scoffed at.

"I may have been a gymnast, but that doesn't mean I know shit about dancing," Eggsy said, tentatively taking a step forward.

Harry moved forward, so they were close enough they could have been slow-dancing, aside from the fact that neither of them had placed a hand on the other yet. This was quickly remedied when Harry ran his fingers down Eggsy's arm, sending shivers through Eggsy's body. Harry stopped at Eggsy's wrist. He lifted Eggsy's hand for him and placed it in the proper positon. The whole exchange made Eggsy weak in the knees. Three years, he thought. Three fucking years and he still manages to turn me to pieces.

"And, uh," Eggsy started, his mouth dry, "what am I to do with the other hand, then?"

Harry took the hand in question and placed it gently on himself, on his shoulder, above his heart. "I think here will do, yes?" Harry was smiling gently.

Eggsy felt the warmth of Harry placing his own hands on Eggsy's body. He met Harry's eyes. "I still have no damn clue about how to dance, Harry," he pointed out.

Harry looked Eggsy over, a glint in his eye. "Follow my lead, then."

And Eggsy did. Harry led him in a gentle step-sway-sway pattern. Eggsy was sure that he would step on Harry's feet at any moment, but as time went on he relaxed. He started feeling Harry's movements, anticipating where he would take him next. Even without music, they established a rhythm with each other.

"Eggsy?" Harry asked.

"Hm?" Eggsy responded contentedly.

"How would you like to try a dip?"

Eggsy spluttered. "I've been doing this for five fuckin' minutes, Harry!"

Harry stopped their dance, moving slightly apart and letting their hands fall. "We'll start with something easy. You'll twist back while I hold your waist, so you are anchored onto the floor by one foot, and to me by one arm."

Eggsy gaped at Harry. "And that's easy, is it?"

"Dancing isn't about skill or experience, Eggsy, its about trusting your partner." Harry tilted his head slightly, eyes travelling over Eggsy's face. "Much like those ridiculous trust falls you do."

Eggsy sighed. "Alright, how is this supposed to work, again?"

"Face me."

Eggsy did so.

"You will place your right arm around my neck, anchoring your hand here," he said, gesturing to his shoulder, "and then fall back. I will catch you in such a manner so that you will have turned toward the front. As you relax, I will hold your waist and we twist as you fall. I'll catch you before you hit the ground. All you have to do is fall."

Eggsy raised his eyebrows, still skeptical. He had fallen and let Harry catch him before, yes, but it had always been on his own terms. Now, here, Harry was inviting him to fall. To trust him in such an intimate situation such as dancing.

"Here goes nothing, then," Eggsy muttered. He placed his arm where Harry had specified and let himself fall.

In one graceful motion, Eggsy found himself twisted forward, one arm on Harry's neck, one foot barely on the ground. Harry's arm was around his waist, holding him up.

"Holy fuck, Harry," Eggsy remarked, almost breathless with the exhilaration of what the hell just happened.

"Quite," Harry hummed. "Ready to come back up?"

"Yeah, alright."

At that, Eggsy felt himself spin upright easily.

"How's that for falling for me?" Harry asked, completely pokerfaced.

"Hey, that's my line!" Eggsy huffed.

Harry held his hand out. "I know." His eyes smiled. "Now, would you like to try another dip?"

"I've already fallen for you once," Eggsy said, smirking. "Can't hurt to do it a few more times," he said, taking Harry's hand. "Now, what I am I doing this time?"

I:

The mission was supposed to be simple, Eggsy thought bitterly. A simple surveillance mission. Plant some bugs, maybe have a look in some file cabinets. But instead, Eggsy made the discovery that the building he was standing was harboring a bomb. Well, the detonation system for the small bombs they had planted throughout the city. Which, incidentally, was set to detonate in half an hour. Talk about timing.

"Galahad, what are you thinking needs to be done?"

Eggsy didn't answer Merlin, instead he asked, "What's the security like around that system?"

"It's rather strange, really. It's rather light security at the door, but unless you deactivate the 'burglar alarm' that goes off when someone enters the room, the room fills with carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, suffocating anyone inside."

"Charming. And remind me, why the fuck can't you just hack the system?"

"The gas is on a physical system, not electronic. Even if I tried I couldn't."

There was no time, goddamn, there was no fucking time. Eggsy assessed the situation once more. If he didn't get into the room and pull the plug on this whole operation, then thousands could die. The only entrance had a simple keycode, which Merlin could easily retrieve, but opening the doors set off the timer, which unless it was disabled, would leak deadly carbon monoxide into the room.

"Merlin, I don't suppose you'd be able to reset the timer every two minutes until you could get me out, by any chance?" Eggsy knew he was grasping at straws, but allowed himself the small moment of hope before Merlin replied.

"I can reset the timer once, but doing so would trigger an alarm, shutting down the entire system. Its their clever way of stopping hacks, I suppose. Basically, I can do one thing. It will take longer than two minutes to disable the detonator-"

"-so finishing the job leaves me trapped inside."

Eggsy paused, and took a breath, steadying himself. His mind flashed through alternatives, but none were realistic. Too much was at stake. He took another breath. "So I go in there, I've got four minutes, yeah? Two minutes from the original time, and two from the reset?"

"So I go in there, I've got four minutes, yeah? Two minutes from the original time, and two from the reset?"

Harry's chest jolted as he realized what Eggsy was planning. "No, Merlin, don't let him do this." Please.

Merlin ignored Harry's words. Merlin, the excellent handler that he was, has always been good at staying stoic in tense situations such as these. "You know that's a one-way trip, lad. Once you get in, I can't get you out."

Harry turned on his com. He wasn't supposed to be using it on this mission. Observation Only the file had read. "Eggsy, please, there's got to be another way. Another agent, another way in, another-"

"There aint any other fuckin' way, Harry!" Eggsy snapped. "I've thought about this from every fuckin' angle and the only fuckin' way to stop this is to get into that room and disarm the thing! It's gonna activate in fifteen minutes, and I'm the only fuckin' thing between those people and their graves. And guess what? My life don't mean a damn thing! Each one of these people has their own Mum, their own Daisy, their own Harry. What the fuck does it matter if I die? It doesn't!" Eggsy's voice cracked. "I don't wanna fucking die, Harry," he said, suddenly sounding utterly defeated.

Harry's heart broke at those words. "I don't want you to fucking die either," he said softly.

Silence filled the room. There were the soft sounds of Eggsy's ragged breathing over the coms (oh god, was he crying?), and the gentle woosh of Harry's own breath. Harry's view through Eggsy's glasses had stilled. It was all Harry could look at. The pixilated view of the door Eggsy was staring at heaved slightly with every breath Eggsy took. Harry took his hand and gingerly removed a speck of dust in the corner of the screen. The air was cold.

Harry knew that, logically, Eggsy was making the right call. But even the knowledge of that didn't help. He'd gladly forfeit the mission if it meant he could see that brilliant smile of Eggsy's every morning, if they could share the future they planned together. If he could wrap his arms around Eggsy and kiss him senseless. If he could give him that ring currently hiding in the sock drawer. He'd take every fight, every bad night, if it meant Eggsy still had life in his eyes.

"Can you disable the bomb in four minutes?" Merlin's voice interrupted the silence. It was a rhetorical question; Merlin knew that Eggsy's record time was three minutes and twenty-eight seconds. Merlin was doing what he always did, putting any emotions to the side. The mission came first.

"Are you sure, Eggsy?" Harry asked, fearing the answer.

"It's like that one bloke said in the movie you made watch," Eggsy responded shakily. "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, innit?"

Despite himself, Harry exhaled and smiled softly. "Or the one," he added.

"Or the one," Eggsy agreed. "Merlin, the passcode for the door?"

Keyboard clacking. "3045".

Harry heard the soft beeping through Eggsy's com as he pressed the keys. Beep. Harry recited the passcode in his head. Three.

Beep. Zero.

Beep. Four.

The five didn't come. Instead, Eggsy's voice graced the coms again.

"You still there, luv?"

"Yes, yes, I'm here." Harry kept his voice steady.

"Good, I still need you."

And I you, Harry thought.

Beep. Five.

Harry heard the door latch click open, and watched through the screen as the door opened. Eggsy stepped inside, and Harry heard the door close with a sound akin to a cannon. He watched Eggsy make his way toward the bomb, popping open the casing to reveal the inner workings. When Eggsy reached his hands forward to begin working, Harry realized they were shaking. Harry watched as Eggsy attempted to do the precise work needed, but could barely grasp the correct wires.

"Harry, can you talk to me? 'bout anything. I need you to pretend-"

To pretend everything will be okay. Even though Eggsy's voice cut off, Harry understood. He understood the need to place your mind elsewhere to function. The illusion of hope can do so very, very, much.

"What did you want to do for dinner tonight? I was thinking we could order takeout and watch a movie." Harry felt a knot begin to form in his throat as he pictured Eggsy coming home, and he forced himself to steady his voice. "Nothing incredibly fancy, but it would be just us."

"I'd like that," Eggsy said, calmer. Harry watched him snip a white wire.

"Of course, I'd pick the movie," Harry teased, despite the ache in his chest.

"Like hell you will," Eggsy retorted. His motions were steadier now, quicker and more efficient.

"Don't worry, I'll pick something you'll enjoy. No more old documentaries. The point of this evening is to spoil you."

"And what's the occasion for spoilin' me, then?"

Harry watched as more progress was made on the device. A cut here, a cut there. He bitterly wondered why it took someone as skilled as Eggsy to disarm it. He made it look so simple.

"The occasion?" he mused aloud, "No occasion. Do I need an excuse to treat you?"

"I suppose not, but it's sorta unfair, since I never get a chance to treat you back." Eggsy's voice trembled slightly near the end of his sentence.

"My boy," Harry said, "You have treated me well these past years. You have brought me the best years of my life."

"The best years of your life?" Eggsy echoed.

"The very best," Harry confirmed. "I expect we will have the best of times. Many more evenings to stay in together, and many more still to go out."

"Out, like to one of those posh restaurants, you mean? I think not, luv."

Harry smiled slightly. It was such an Eggsy thing to say that he couldn't help it. "Oh, hush you. You love it."

Eggsy had moved on to another section of the device, sniping wires with a practiced hand. He had fallen into an easy rhythm, it appeared.

"That I do, Harry, that I do. D'ya think that you could take me to one of those fancy places when you finally give me that ring in your sock drawer you think I don't know about?"

Harry gave a start at that. He'd had the ring for a few months now. It was a simple gold band, with the words Falling For You engraved in elegant lettering. "Eggsy, I-"

"Two minutes." Merlin's words pierced through the mask of conversation. "I just reset the timer, you have two minutes." And with that, the fantasy came crumbling down. The beautiful serene minutes where they could make believe that everything would be okay crashed down around Harry. The notion that Eggsy really would come home, laughing at the thought at Death keeping him from Harry, disintegrated.

"Harry?" Eggsy called, "Tonight, after we have this perfect dinner, d'ya think we could give Mum and Daisy a call? I'd like to tell them-" Eggsy made a choked sound, his hands shaking again. He coughed and continued, "Well, I'd like to make sure they're set for the night, y'know?"

"Of course," Harry murmured. Eggsy was keeping up the façade, but Harry caught the double meanings. Call Mum and Daisy, Eggsy was saying. Tell them I love them, and make sure they will be okay.

"And Rox, too. Make sure you tell her."

"I will. Eggsy-"

"I know this one bloke," Eggsy interrupted, "He acts posh, but somehow decided the person he wanted to love was a street kid. The best thing that ever happened to me, he was. Name's Harry Hart, and I love him with all of mine."

Harry closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling slightly. "I may know him."

"Yeah, well he likes to blame himself for things. Don't let him blame himself for this. It was my choice; you get that?"

"I'll tell him." Three words were all Harry could trust himself to get out. He couldn't risk dissolving into emotion. No, not now. Not while Eggsy still needed him. He couldn't disappear into his office and collapse, not yet. Eggsy was here and Harry needed him for as long as he could keep him.

"No, Harry, listen to me. Don't go back to being lonely. I want you to go out and meet someone that makes you laugh."

You make me laugh was all Harry could think. You make me laugh, keep me company, make me happy. How can I replace that?

"Harry, please promise me that you will," Eggsy demanded weakly. "Because I hate the thought of leaving you, but I can't stand the thought of you not having somebody to love you. Promise me, Harry."

Harry took a breath intended to steady himself, but he shuttered as he exhaled. "I promise, Eggsy." He hardly thought he could ever stop loving Eggsy. But if it was what Eggsy needed to hear in the moment, Harry would promise anything.

Harry heard a small click, indicating the release of the poisonous gas, just as Eggsy sniped the last wire.

"Impeccable timing, Galahad," Merlin murmured.

A small hissing noise could be heard, which Harry assumed was the poison gas.

Eggsy glanced toward the source of the sound. "Merlin, what's going to happen to me?" He asked softly. The sheer resignation in his voice punched Harry in the gut. Eggsy wasn't angry, he wasn't fighting, he was signed off, scared and alone.

"Well," Merlin started, "It gets into your lungs, and slowly takes the place of oxygen in your bloodstream. You'll begin to feel dizzy and weak, and then its just like falling asleep."

Harry heard Eggsy draw a shaky breath. "Like falling asleep? Seems easy enough. I do that often enough during meetings." The quip did little to brighten the mood.

"Eggsy," Harry croaked out. Harry's eyes could do little more than watch as the invisible gas entered the room, and Harry's ears could do nothing but listen to the beautiful sounds of Eggsy, still wonderful, still amazing, still alive.

"Heya, Harry. I've got one last favor to ask you, before I crash." Crash. As if he really was only going down for a nap, and would get up the next day, smiling and ready to go. They both knew differently. Harry knew that this was going to be his last moments with Eggsy, the last words they shared between each other. He hated the universe in that moment, and wanted to lash out and scream. Why. Out of all the people in the world, why him?

The love of his life was dying, and all Harry could do was observe, helpless to change anything.

"Anything, Eggsy," Harry responded. And it was true. He'd give Eggsy anything. If he could trade places with him, he'd do it. In an instant.

"I reckon that falling asleep while standing could be dangerous," Eggsy took a rattling breath, "Wouldn't want to hit the ground too hard. Catch me one last time, what d'ya say, Harry?" Eggsy laughed, but it was a broken sounding laugh. Hollow and choked.

Harry remembered all the times he'd caught Eggsy. The one day after the rain, when Eggsy lost his balance and Harry had rushed to his side, only to be treated to the cheesy I'm falling for you line. Dropping his paperwork and exchanging 'I love you's and passionate kisses. Oh, what'd he'd give to have that moment back. All of them. They were jems, moments of pure Eggsy, alive and laughing, and Harry never got a proper snapshot of them.

"Of course I'll catch you," Harry promised, "I'll always catch you, my dear."

"Oh, and Harry?" Eggsy's voice was weaker now, words slurring, "I would have said yes. I've been falling for you since day one."

The view on the screen suddenly dipped. "Eggsy?" Harry asked frantically. The screen no longer showed Eggsy's perspective, it had hit the ground. "Eggsy," he whispered, hoping that somehow Eggsy could still hear his voice. "I'm sorry, my love."

Catch me one last time, what d'ya say, Harry?

But of course, this time, Eggsy was just out of reach.