Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters find themselves in. Everything else belongs to someone else, obviously.

Making Plans

The next few hours leading up to dinner were not particularly fun for either of them, Harry stuck having to remind himself repeatedly that there was no way he could pull off the bald look like Merlin. Ergo, not pulling out his hair in frustration was very important, especially now that he had a much younger man in his life to impress with his already mediocre looks. But not giving in to his frustrations was no easy feat, to say the least, especially since the worst was very much yet to come since all they were doing today was going through the list of their holdings to figure out which businesses needed to be overhauled and updated immediately. Contacting those who had been put in charge of those businesses to arrange meetings had not been particularly pleasant either, but it was during and after the meetings that would test both their patience to the limit.

It didn't help that Eggsy didn't have the training or knowledge necessary to help him with his evaluations, his mate pretty much reduced to behaving as a secretary as Eggsy made them coffee and tea, took notes for Harry, and made phone calls to arrange the meetings. Calls which often dictated Harry stop what he was doing to take the phone from Eggsy to confirm who he was and that Eggsy did have the right to speak for him. Which Harry appreciated in theory, especially since these people had possibly never even realized that he owned them as opposed to Chester, but it still frustrated him and Eggsy that much more as the hours ticked by.

Though Harry would give his mate credit for how he was handling everything thus far. Oh his boy muttered and had a few choice words about some of the managers and such he'd had to deal with, but Eggsy kept his cool admirably while actually on the phone and did his best to find ways to help Harry even if, at times, he got in the way more than he actually helped him.

But at least he wasn't so stressed out yet that he could still recognize that fact, since Harry hated the idea of taking his frustration out on the person trying to help him the most.

"So we should probably head out now, don't ya think? Mum will be expecting us shortly and…well actually we probably should av left fifteen minutes ago." Eggsy's face was adorably sheepish, especially since his hair was an epic mess at the moment thanks to the number of times the boy's fingers had run through it in frustration over the course of the day.

Forcing himself to tear his gaze away from his mate's adorableness to glance down at the data he really should be studying up on, Harry was very tempted to tell Eggsy to go without him. Especially since he wasn't at all eager to spend the evening with Eggsy's mother, Harry thought with a mental grimace, while being careful not to let it show on his face. Still, not showing up would only make things worse between him and Michelle, and Eggsy certainly didn't deserve to get stuck in the middle. More than was simply unavoidable.

"We've taxed our brains quite enough for one day, yes."

"Wasn't so bad. And we'll get things sorted out soon enough. Then ya can teach me more so's it's not so much of a strain for ya." Eggsy rubbed the back of his neck as he watched Harry get out of his seat, his mate's accent thickening, as it often did when he was talking about something he didn't like or want to talk about. "I know I ain't much of a elp ta ya at the moment but I'll-"

"Just having you work with me makes it better." Which was the truth, in the long run. "And yes, I'm very much looking forward to teaching you our family business, as it were."

The beaming smile Eggsy gave him in response had Harry smiling back, the smiles staying on both their faces as they shut down laptops and filed away the piles of paperwork they'd generated over the course of their very busy day. Some tiding up besides, and then they were shrugging into their jackets and locking up for the night.

Outside on the street, Harry paused for a moment to stare at the front of the tailor shop, shaking his head a little as he remembered coming here often with his father as a lad.

"What ya thinking?"

"That my father would roll in his grave if he saw how far his businesses have fallen since he passed away. If he had a grave, that is." As dragons they were born in fire, and therefore it was their practice to cremate their remains, returning to the fire from which they'd come.

"Well no offense ta your old man, but he's the one who stuck ya with King in the first place. It would have served him right for his empire and legacy ta collapse, ruining your life that way. I'd never let a kid of ours mate a fucker like King, even if he is Guild Master."

Since he would never let someone he loved end up stuck with someone like his ex mate for life either, Harry couldn't argue with Eggsy there, though he did feel the need to justify his own father's decision to agree to King's request for Harry's hand. "In all fairness, my father did ask me if I wanted to mate with Chester before he accepted his request."

The look Eggsy gave him suggested that his mate was questioning his sanity.

"Why would ya have wanted to mate with im? I mean it's not like he was so good lookin that ya didn't see past that ta what an arse he is. I've seen pictures of what he looked like, and in every picture he looks like a prissy, pansy arse. And it can't be his money ya cared about."

Breathing out a thoughtful breath, Harry tried to explain his younger self's behavior without coming off as completely pathetic.

"I was…at that point in my life I was still reeling from learning I was an omega. I didn't really care about my future because as far as I was concerned, my life was already ruined by virtue of my omega status. Which sounds very overly dramatic and childish now, I know, but at the time that's how I felt. And my father, well I knew how disappointed he was when I didn't turn out to be the dominant he'd thought I was, so mating with King, it seemed like a way to make it up to him too."

Eggsy seemed to consider this for a moment. "If your dad was still alive I'd still whack him upside the ead and tell im off for sticking ya with that prick. He shoulda seen how you was and taken care of ya instead of pawning ya off on the bastard."

"Actually, I think the two of you, you and my father, would have gotten along rather well. Once you'd gotten both your posturing over and done with."

"If ya say so."

"I do say so. And now we need to hurry or I'm the one who won't be endearing myself to my in law."

Laughing, most likely at the idea of Michelle being Harry's in law, Eggsy nodded his head and agreed that they had places to go and people to see.

)

Since he had a key Eggsy let them into the small house rather than knock or ring the bell, holding it open for Harry to go in ahead of him before following him in, calling out their presence to his mother and sister while they shrugged out of their coats and hung them up. Not surprisingly it was J.B. who greeted them first, the pug coming racing out of the front parlor to slip and slide a little on the hardwood flooring before catching himself to run straight at Eggsy, who'd already knelt down to scoop up his pug.

Smiling over the adorableness that was Eggsy with his pug, on top of J.B. rather slobbery display of affection, Harry reached over to rub the pug's ears, his hand getting some hello licks too. Something he was going to have to get used to now, Harry thought with a wider smile, looking forward to having a dog again very much.

The next member of Eggsy's family to come and greet them did so in a much quieter and hesitant manner, Daisy's curly, pigtailed head very slowly peeking out from behind a wall a couple of times before she finally came out to look at them. She was wearing her Elsa outfit from 'Frozen', which Harry knew that Eggsy had hunted for exhaustingly online for her for her last birthday.

She looked fairly adorable in it, her fingers fiddling with the material nervously before she slowly toddled over to them, her head bowing shyly as she approached.

Knowing Daisy as he did Harry didn't attempt to move closer or pick her up, instead turning to pluck J.B. out of Eggsy's arms so that his mate could stride over to pick his sister up and whirl her around as he exclaimed over how big she'd gotten in only a week, blowing a raspberry against her neck to make her giggle and squirm in delight.

"And I've brought Harry ta see ya as well, haven't I? Can ya say hello to im, Flower?"

"Hi." Daisy waved her hand shyly, burying her face in Eggsy neck immediately afterwards. She knew him, so Harry's presence didn't scare her the way another strange man's would have, but she didn't see him enough to be comfortable with him even with Eggsy holding her. To the best of Harry's knowledge Eggsy was the only man in Daisy's world the girl was ever thrilled to see, and it would take her a while to adapt to his presence enough to come out of her shell enough to speak with him freely.

"Hello, Miss. Daisy. It's lovely to see you again."

Peeking at him briefly, Daisy gave him a small smile before she went back to her hiding, her fingers petting her brother's hair.

"Is Mum in the kitchen then, Daisy?"

"Uh huh."

"Then let's go say hi, shall we?"

Setting J.B. down on the floor Harry smiled as the pug immediately hurried over to trot at Eggsy's side as the younger man led the way towards the kitchen, Harry following behind with only minor trepidation.

This might be the first time he and Michelle spoke since Eggsy and he had mated, but the rare occasions they'd spent in each other's company gave Harry a fairly good idea what to expect from her. This was going to be awkward, and there were sure to be some cutting remarks about the age gap between him and his mate at some point, but Michelle knew by now that Eggsy expected her to behave civilly to him or they'd leave and Eggsy would refuse to forgive her bad manners until she apologized to Harry for being rude. And that wasn't the idle threat Harry had first taken it for, as Eggsy had done precisely that on two other occasions even though Harry had told the boy it wasn't necessary. Eggsy was stubborn though, and between the two of them there was no question that Eggsy's will was a hundred times stronger than Michelle's. So they'd play nice here. Or at least they would while Eggsy was around to referee.

And Eggsy was very good at making sure they were never alone together.

Michelle was dressed up a little, for the occasion, and Harry was pleased to note that she was looking well for Eggsy's sake. The first time they'd met had been just after Lee had passed away, and she had obviously not been at her best then, but the subsequent meetings years later, when he'd gotten involved with Eggsy's life, well she'd been more than a bit worse for the wear, though beautiful in a…trashy and hard sort of way. She seemed softer now that Eggsy's had gotten her away from his stepfather and out of the estates though, less harsh and brittle.

Though the smile she aimed in his direction after greeting her son was definitely a lot dimmer and less genuine than the one Eggsy's had received. "Harry."

"Michelle. Lovely as always to see you." She wasn't the only one who could put up a good front.

"And you. The roast is all ready, I was just keeping it warm in the stove until you arrived."

"Yeah, sorry we're a bit late, Mum. Today was our first day in the office, ya see. And it didn't go so well. King's made a right mess of Harry's businesses, he has, and sorting it all out's gonna be a right bitch. Anyway, we lost track of time a bit. I meant to get us out of there earlier."

"It's no problem. If you'd get it out of the stove and put it on the table I'd appreciate it. Daisy, Luv, will you show Harry into the dining room, yeah?"

The deer in headlights look Daisy immediately adopted made it clear that she didn't know what to do.

Squatting down, and putting his sister back on her feet, Eggsy framed her face between his hands and spoke quietly to her, Harry not catching whatever he said. But whatever it was, it was enough to convince her to nod and then walk over to him, shyly offering up her small hand.

Taking it gently, Harry smiled at her in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. "Thank you, Daisy. It's very kind of you to take the time to escort me to dinner."

Letting her take the lead when she tugged his hand slightly, Harry followed her into the dining room he'd visited before, helping Daisy into her booster seat before taking a seat on the other side of the table, where he'd sat during his last visit.

"So what have you been up to today, Miss. Daisy?"

"Park."

"You went to the park? That sounds like great fun. I haven't been to a park in a very long time."

"I saw'd squirrels."

"Do you like squirrels?" Personally Harry had always thought they rather resembled rats with bushier tails. And he did hate rats with a passion. Couldn't stand the little beasties, really.

Another nod before Daisy turned her attention to the floor where J.B. was apparently hanging out, no doubt getting into position for any dropped food Daisy might be willing to pass his way over the course of the meal. His own childhood dogs had had similar inclinations when he was a lad.

Coming through the archway with the large roast platter in hand, Eggsy set it down on the table with a flourish, Michelle following after him with a clear bowl containing a pink gelatin concoction featuring marshmallows and pineapple. A particular favorite of Eggsy's, Harry knew, and quite tasty as he recalled.

In short order Eggsy had the roast cut up, and the few minutes were spent passing around the food and filling plates. Everything looked and smelled good, and after a quick, casual pray for the meal, they all dug into their food and kept their comments to complimenting the food and asking for someone to pass the butter or pepper.

With a young man's typical appetite Eggsy was eating them all under the table, no surprise, and Harry again made a mental note to himself that they really would need to look into finding themselves a housekeeper who cooked, too. This past week they'd basically lived on soup, sandwiches, and take away since he didn't know how to cook and Eggsy had a very limited repertoire. And while he wasn't opposed to learning, in theory, they would be spending a bloody lot of time in the office before he'd have the time or energy to take lessons.

"So how does it feel ta be a businessman after decades of leisure, Harry?"

Turning his attention back to Michelle, Harry smiled at her. "Frustrating, at the moment, though once the initial shocks stop coming and I-we start getting things in order, I would imagine I'll start enjoying it rather a lot. And of course I'm rather looking forward to unleashing Eggsy on the business world, as I don't imagine any of them will know what hit them."

"Yeah, I guess the likes of them ain't used ta havin ta deal with a council boy."

"Actually, I was referring to Eggsy's youth and enthusiasm. He might not know about the business world, but I'm sure that once he's gotten the hang of things he'll be as brilliant at it as he is at everything else he puts his mind to."

"And what else am I brilliant at?" Eggsy asked at his side, the gleam in his eyes as he met Harry's gaze, leaving no question as to what he was referring to. He even fluttered his eyelashes at him for emphasis.

'In front of your mother' Harry's gaze hopefully conveyed with shock, the way Eggsy grinned in response saying that yes, yes Eggsy was referring to their sex life while at his mother's table. The little bugger.

"You're brilliant at making my days more interesting." And you're going to pay for this, Harry silently tacked on, though Eggsy didn't look at all concerned. No, he looked as cheeky as always.

Of course he did.

Under the table Eggsy slid a hand over Harry's thigh, giving it a squeeze. "Likewise."

Harry gave serious thought to boxing the boy's ear for it, but thought better of it since then he'd have to explain to his mother in law why he'd done it in the first place. And that was not a conversation he wanted to have with her. Especially with Daisy at the table.

Who knew how much a two year old took in, after all.

So instead he contented himself with telling his dragon to start coming up with a plan to make Eggsy pay when they got home.

And purring in his mind, his dragon was one hundred percent on board with that idea.