Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters end up in. Everything else belongs to someone else and that's the way of it.
What A Party
Together with Merlin and Serena, Harry and Eggsy made their way to a small corner of the room where they could hear themselves talk and not be in anyone's way. They'd barely had a chance to compare seating assignment and which was worse, ties or heels, before they were joined by Roxy, who explained that her parents were currently stuck across the room but had asked her to pass along their greetings. Percival had been dragged off by his godmother somewhere too, so Serena didn't have to worry about him for a bit either.
"Bien."
"My brother really isn't that bad, you know." Looking stunning in her sapphire blue gown, Roxy smirked at Serena. "And if a sister is willing to admit that you know he's actually rather a catch, though I'll deny I admitted that to my dying breath. It breaks the little sister code." She added in a confidential tone of voice.
Serena sniffed in true French style, waving one hand dismissively. "I don't date dragons. He is very handsome, yes, and perhaps charming, but no. It's not happening."
"It's definitely one of her lines in the sand. Otherwise I'd have introduced her to all your brothers long ago, Rox." Eggsy shrugged his shoulders a 'what can you do' manner. "And does anyone have any idea when we're gonna get fed? And what's on the menu for that matter?"
"No idea, bout we'll probably be called to take our seats in another ten, fifteen minutes. You gentlemen cut it a bit close getting here. Lucky." Roxy sighed. "We were here exactly when the doors opened. Mom insisted."
"Harry Hart! Is that you?"
Turning his head to see who was addressing him, Harry broke out in a pleased smile as he held out a hand in the direction of the man he recognized immediately, even if it had been years. "Marcus. So good to see you."
Using the hand Marcus pulled Harry into a surprise hug that included some very manly backslapping.
"It's been too bloody long, Harry! It feels like ages since I've seen you. And congrats, by the way, on finally coming to your senses where that dried up prig King is concerned. Never could see what you saw in the pretentious bastard, but you're obviously well rid of him. Especially when you have yourself such a handsome new escort. Marcus Clarington, by the by. And you are?"
Chuckling, God but he'd forgotten what a good natured, mischievous troublemaker his former school friend was, Harry introduced Marcus to Eggsy, the two shaking hands and sharing similar grins that warned Harry the two were going to become friends, which meant Eggsy would soon know every embarrassing thing that had ever happened to him as a lad. Damn.
"Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine." Eggsy assured Marcus, further cementing Harry's sense of impending doom.
"True. The man has always had excellent taste in friends." Marcus agreed solemnly, the twinkle in his eyes giving him away. "And as proof of that I should warn you that the pretentious bastard is here with his bit of nasty fluff, and in a quite foul mood. Biting heads off left and right, actually. Figuratively of course."
"Oh?"
"Well your split has cost him dearly, hasn't it? Not to mention the fact that those of us old enough to remember you like you so much more than him, so we're all on your side. And of course all the newsies and gossips are subtly or not so subtly rubbing it in his face that you dumping him for handsome here, and how that's going to cost him in vicinity of hundreds of millions of pounds in the long run." Marcus chuckled meanly. "As you might imagine that is not sitting well with him. At all. Plus he's trying to tell everyone the split was mutual, but please….no one's believing that. Especially since you're so obviously happy with Eggsy here, and he's so very not with the new Mrs. King." Marcus rolled his eyes expressively. "But that's what happens when a gay man keeps trying to pretend he's bi so as not to lose face. Though I'll admit the man has never sets off my gaydar except when he's around your beautiful father, Ms. Morton." Another chuckle. "And I will admit that I've been waiting for decades now for him to make a move there, just to see your other father flatten him like the cockroach he is."
"Me too." Roxy agreed, saluting him with her champagne glass.
"I would pay to see it."
"And I'm aghast that such a beautiful woman as yourself is unknown to me." Marcus declared, taking Serena's hand and gallantly placing a kiss on the back of it while begging for her name.
While Serena was introducing herself Merlin announced that they had an incoming, the enemy in question turning out to be a social reporter who wanted to catch up with Harry and learn all about his handsome, new companion.
And that seemed to be the cue for the others to start circling as well.
Very deliberately Harry slid his arm through Eggsy's and faced the storm with a polite smile and a determination to be as tactful as possible.
Yes he and Eggsy were a couple. And yes, he was delighted to be taking over his father's businesses and making them his own. He was careful to state that he was sure King had done the best he could when his former partner had been in charge of his business holdings, and that the dissolution of their shared interests had nothing to do with his lack of faith in King's business acumen. It had simply been to keep things clean and simple between them.
The questions about his former mate's new marriage and what he thought of Veronica…well Harry settled for stating that he thought they were perfect for each other, and he wished them all the best. The first part was at least somewhat honest, when he wasn't pitying the woman. And as for her or Eggsy being the reason he and Chester had split up, Harry was firm in stating that he and Chester had been drifting apart and basically separated for quite some time, and that neither of their present partners was responsible for ending his former relationship with Chester. He was NOT, Harry emphasised, a cheat.
That Chester was, and everyone in the room knew it, went unsaid but thought.
The sharks were starting to turn their attention to Eggsy, his background, schooling, and how he'd met Harry, when the hostess for the evening called for them all to take their seats, please. A relief, that, even though Harry knew they'd be back as soon as the meal ended.
Unfortunately they hadn't been placed with any of their friends, but their seatmates were all humans with businessmen who wanted to talk business with Harry while their wives enjoyed before charmed by Eggsy, so at least it wasn't stressful and he was making useful contacts over the insubstantial food they'd been served.
Well, not stressful aside from the fact that Harry could feel his former mate glaring at him from across the room the entire meal.
)
Exiting the loo nearly two hours later, Harry paused for a moment to look at the lineup for the women's, thinking to himself that he'd never understood why the fairer sex insisted on going everywhere in packs. Or why people liked parties when so many people around meant that you were bound to get overheated, as he was despite having just splashed cold water on his face. But there was nothing he could do about that but bear it, and so as he strolled out with the intention of seeking out his mate again.
Now that the dinner, speeches, and silent auction part of the evening was over, thank all the gods, Harry estimated that they only had to stay another hour, hour and a half at most before they could finally leave without being thought rude. Something he was desperately looking forward to since as soon as they made their excuses they were going to head to McDonalds with Merlin and Serena, as his friend had promised her that they would go after they'd all gotten a look at their meal. He was hungry too and-and was that Serena?
It had been a brief look before the couple in question had disappeared behind a corner, but Harry was confident that it had been Serena. And that the man who'd been fast walking her somewhere had been Estelle Hesketh's eldest son, Charles Hesketh II.
Why on earth would they be together? Serena had made her lack of interest in dragons quite plain, and if she were to change her mind she certainly wouldn't pick a married man with a son who was less than ten years younger than her. Not to mention the fact that Eggsy and Charles's son were all but mortal enemies, and had been since the day the two had met. And Charlie was a great deal like his father, which was one more reason why Serena would want nothing to do with the stuck up snob.
A mixture of curiosity and his dragon hissing in his ear that he should make sure that Serena didn't need his assistance had Harry striding after them, using his long legs to their full advantage to catch up to them enough that he got the chance to not only confirm the fact that he'd been correct in identifying them, but that Charles, once out of the sight of the other guests, had switched to a tight, painful grip on Serena's arm.
Oh hell no.
Picking up his pace Harry was opening his mouth to demand that Charles release her at once when Serena yanked her arm out of the man's grasp, apparently not about to tolerate it either.
"Grab me again and lose the hand." She hissed, pointing a finger at him for emphasis. "I've broken your nose once, and will do it again."
The hot flush that heated Charles cheeks confirmed the truth of that statement. "You'll shut your mouth and show me proper respect if you know what's good for you." A pause for emphasis, though Serena didn't look the least threatened, which visibly pissed him off even more. "What are you doing here? You have no business being here and embarrassing me. And flirting with the Morton boy, I mean really. Prissy little Percival might be desperate enough to fuck you, but if you think-"
"You have no right to tell me where I can and cannot go. Or who I talk with. Though you really should watch what you say about Percival. From what Eggsy tells me, he could mop every floor in this building with you. And not break a sweat."
"He's a little Nancy boy hanging off his father's shirt tails." Charles annoyance over being both insulted and interrupted was written all over his face. "And I most certainly do have the right to tell you how to behave."
"Being my sperm donor does not make you my father. And I have the blank space on my birth certificate to prove it. And you are the one who made sure people will look twice at us, not me."
The names Serena's 'father' called her for daring to call him her father in public were not fit for polite company.
Ah. A number of puzzle pieces falling into place, Harry cleared his throat to call their attention to him before this got worse. And to make sure that Hesketh knew that he'd overheard everything as he walked over to stand beside Serena.
"That's quite enough, Charles. Serena is a dear friend of mine and I won't stand for you speaking to her in this manner." Harry slid his arm through hers in a show of solidarity. "What was said here doesn't need to repeated unless you continue to forget yourself and your manners. I know being anything resembling a gentleman is a foreign concept to you, so I advise you to follow your own advice and shut your mouth. A nod that you understand will suffice."
Insult and fury were closely followed by smug distain. "You forget yourself, Hart. You aren't in any position to censor or look down on me. You're nothing but a defective piece of ass sharing the bed of a common piece of social climbing gutter trash."
The loud, dangerous hiss of warning surprised Harry along with Charles, but he was with his dragon on this one. NO ONE spoke of his mate, his Eggsy, in such a manner.
"You aren't fit to lick Eggsy or Harry's oxfords." Serena shot back, glaring at her father. "You're the piece of garbage who should not be allowed in our presence. You disgust me."
"If your mother had had any brains at all she would have gotten rid of you like I told her to."
"Funny, I've often thought the same when it comes to your mother. And your wife when it comes to your son."
The punch Charles aimed in Harry's direction as he snarled that someone needed to teach him a lesson was easily dodged since the man obviously only had brute force in his favor, with no actual training or skill to speak of.
The same could not be said for either Harry or Serena, as both drew back a fist and hit exactly what they were aiming for. And even though he hadn't meant to do it, at least not consciously, Harry had to admit that he very much enjoyed watching the arrogant bastard fly backward and crumple to the floor in a heap.
"Harry?!" and "Serena?!" Came from multiple voices behind them.
Both of them turning in tandem, Harry joined Serena in watching his mate, Edward and Colin, Roxy and Percival, and Merlin all hurrying over with varying degrees of worry and surprised written all over their faces.
"Serena and I were just taking out some trash."
Laughing, Serena beamed up at him. "Harry, I do believe this is the start of a beautiful friendship."
Harry smiled back as he winked. "Here's looking at you, Kid."
"Damn, ya punched him out." Scowling, Eggsy glared at Hesketh's still form with Percival and Merlin flanking him on either side, all three dominants visibly angered to be denied a conscious punching bag.
Though they gave Roxy approving looks when she 'accidentally' stepped on one of the bastard's hands with one of her stilettos.
Lips twitching ever so slightly in amusement over Roxy's fake 'Oops', Edward asked what had happened.
With it still firmly in his mind that he could do nothing, and it was true that within the Guild he'd lost pretty much all his influence, Harry knew that the same could not be said for his peers standing in front of them. Which is why he decided to repeat, word for word, the conversation they'd had with Charles, especially the part where Chares had insulted the Morton's son, Eggsy, and told Serena that her mother should have aborted her. Those would piss the very motherly Colin off the most.
He was successful, judging by the look in Colin's eyes.
Eggsy, meanwhile, wanted to know how ungentlemanly it would be if he stomped some of Charles's ribs in while the man was unconscious.
"More satisfying to wait until he's awake." Was Merlin's opinion.
While the dominants in the room save for Edward discussed amongst themselves what Charles deserved, Colin turned his attention to fussing over Serena, who assured him that the man had always treated her this way since he'd learned of her continued existence. It really didn't bother her anymore.
Naturally that made Colin that much more outraged on her behalf.
"Well then I shall see that the man pays far more dearly than some broken bones and lost blood." And so saying Colin announced, in a tone that would do any dominant proud, that he thought it was time that they all left for the night, but that Edward needed to escort him to Charles's mother first. They had something to discuss.
"You're gonna tell his mum on im?" Eggsy's lips quivered in amusement. "I'd say that's cold, but I doubt Estelle will do anything."
The look Colin gave him made it clear that he did not appreciate it being insinuated that he didn't know what he was doing, Eggsy hunching his shoulders defensively.
"How did you all know to come running to our rescues?" Serena asked smoothly, sliding one arm into Merlin's and the other into a delighted Percival's as she started to steer them back the way they'd come. "Not that we needed it of course, but it is appreciated nonetheless."
While Harry and Roxy each took one of Eggsy's offered arms, and Edward and Colin led the way, Roxy explained. "Well Eggsy and I were hanging out on the dance floor since no one could interrogate him out there, loud as the music is, and waiting for Harry to come back. Then Father signaled for us to come over and whispered something to Eggsy, and next thing I know he's rounding up the cavalry and we're all riding to the rescue."
"Percival saw Charles escorting you away from the main ballroom and commented on it to me. As I'd already discerned your likely parentage I knew there was a good chance the conversation would not be a pleasant one. I met your mother a couple of times while she worked for him, Serena. You look very much like her."
"She remembered you as a very nice gentleman, when I mentioned meeting you."
Edward looked back and stated that he hoped she was well.
"Yes, thank you. She…" Serena trailed off, joining them all in focusing all their attention on the man a short distance away from them, who had just stepped out of the ballroom and caught sight of them. And had now started walking towards them with the obvious intent to intercept them before they could rejoin the party.
Their Guild Master's face was an unreadable mask as he walked up and then stopped in front of them, the pleasant smile he flashed at them doing nothing to reassure them as he stated his apologies for interrupting them, but that he required a brief moment of Harry's time.
