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.
Note: Sorry I haven't been updating as regularly as I usually do these last few weeks. My Kingsman muses are still in mourning over the sequel.
Feeling A Tad Brittle
The rest of the week was not terribly enjoyable for either of them. And it wasn't even the way the press, members of the Hesketh family, and King harassed them, though that certainly didn't help matter either. No, it was actually Eggsy that had Harry feeling more than a little touchy and out of sorts by the time Friday rolled around that week. It was just so irritating, the way Eggsy tried to shield him from their harassers. Treating him like a child who needed to be protected when he was more than capable of handling the press or any member of their guild who thought they had a right to comment on what was going on in his life. Even the old him had been capable of dealing with the press and Kingsman social politics. And all right, perhaps the same could not be said when it came to his former mate, he was working on that still, but Harry was fairly confident that he wouldn't do too badly if he was to answer one of the bastard's phone calls to their office. I mean really, Harry knew that more than once King had asked Amelia to put him through to Harry rather than Eggsy, only for her to ignore said order and transfer the call to Eggsy just like he'd told her to.
Even when he pressed Eggsy for details about what was said and discussed he was ultimately left in the dark by the end of the conversation. Eggsy either brushed off his concerns or was so vague with the details that Harry felt no more informed than before he'd asked. It was so bloody frustrating!
And if that wasn't annoying enough Eggsy was…just his whole manner and way of acting around Harry had changed for the worse since his heat. Hovering was the word that came to mind, and fussing over him when there was absolutely no reason to do so. He was as healthy as the proverbial horse now. And he certainly wasn't prone to hysterics or making himself fucking ill because they were currently fodder for the media and their social circle. Why didn't Eggsy see that?
He didn't want to fight with Eggsy, and he understood in theory Eggsy was only acting as a dominant would think he should in this situation, but he….well this was doing a rather harsh number on his pride, if Harry was to be perfectly honest. But he didn't want to fight and so he threw himself into his work and Eggsy did the same. By the start of the second week they were so tired by the end of every night that they hardly had two words to say to each other before falling into bed. Asleep before they hit the sheets some nights.
Eggsy still touched him though, Harry had to reminded himself when he started to get depressed over that their present situation. Eggsy still gave him those absent little caresses and quick kisses that he'd come to love and look forward to since they'd been mated. That was something at least.
Still…there was a definite strain they were both aware of that week and well into the next one, which didn't exactly put them in the best frame of mind to cheer Colin up over lunch the way they'd promised the week before.
They'd promised Roxy though, and Harry wasn't about to selfishly sulk in his office when one of his best and oldest friends was utterly miserable and needed him. And Colin was in quite a state apparently, especially since he and Edward had had to come back two days earlier than planned from their mini vacation. A problem at work had arisen involving a furious board member who was threatening to cause considerable problems for the company if he couldn't discuss some undisclosed issue with Edward himself. In person.
Harry had rather gotten the sense from Roxy that she wished this was the olden days when she could have just roasted the board member into a pile of ashes and that would have been that. And after dealing with the media nearly every day for a week and a half Harry could totally relate to the sentiment.
But that wasn't an option so the two had come home from Spain early and Edward was apparently using a cane at the moment to continue to give his back some added help. That Edward's back wasn't completely fine at this point, well it was no wonder that nothing anyone said could make Colin feel better about the fact that he was, however unintentionally, responsible for that fact. Along with Edward's chair, as Harryy recalled.
Since the restaurant they were going to was only a ten minute walk at most from the office Harry had suggested that they walk instead of driving or hailing a cab when the scheduled lunch date came around. Eggsy had wisely agreed that that was an excellent idea, though his mate did maneuver him so that Harry ended up with Eggsy walking between him and the traffic whizzing by them.
Like he was a child who was suddenly going to run into traffic after a fucking butterfly, Harry inwardly fumed but didn't say. He was rapidly coming to the conclusion that he and Eggsy were going to have to have words about his behavior before things got any worse, but there was no point in getting into an argument right before meeting friends for lunch. Not to mention defeat the whole purpose of having lunch with Colin in the first place. This wasn't about them after all.
The back of Eggsy's hand brushed his, Harry glancing down when it happened a second time.
Looking back up at Eggsy Harry found his mate looking at him with eyes that rather reminded Harry of J.B. when he got into the some scrape and wanted to avoid being punished. It was very much a 'I'm sorry you're mad at me, don't be mad' look.
And the hand brushing was another obvious request.
Giving Eggsy a look that hopefully conveyed the fact that they were going to talk about this later, Harry took Eggsy's hand in his and gave it a squeeze.
A beaming smile from his mate was his reward. And then Eggsy started to swing their joined hands between them and the ridiculousness of it made Harry laugh. He couldn't help it.
"We should go home early today."
"We should, should we?"
"Yeah." Eggsy gave him a little hip bump. "I've missed just hangin with ya."
It was tempting to let it go, but until he knew Eggsy understood his feelings Harry wasn't about to let him off that easily. They were better and more important than that.
"And talk about a few things."
Eggsy frowned and then sighed in resignation before giving him a hopeful look. "Can there be makeup shagging afterwards?"
"Possibly."
"Okay."
To bring a smile back to both their faces Harry started swinging their hands again.
Mission accomplished.
And they were still swinging their hands when they heard the sound of their names being called out a couple minutes later.
)
Letting go of each other's hands as they turned around to greet their friends, Harry raised a hand along with Eggsy in acknowledgement as they watched Roxy and Colin coming towards them from a side street. Roxy looked like her usual self, Harry noted after an accessing once over, but Colin was looking off in a way that Harry couldn't have explained to someone who didn't know Colin personally. Not that his friend wasn't perfectly put together, because Colin always was, but there was something very mask like about the expression he was wearing. Which made sense since Colin tended to retreat into himself when he was feeling things he didn't want others to see.
"Fuck he's taking this hard, ain't he?"
"Indeed."
Together with his mate Harry strolled over to meet the two halfway, the usual greetings and hugs feeling a tad forced where Colin was concerned. Though that just made Eggsy give the blond a big bear hug that had some color coming into Colin's cheeks at least.
Roxy gave him a big smile as she explained that they'd encountered unexpected construction, which had led them to seeking a parking spot around here instead of trying to navigate to somewhere closer. "I thought the walk could only do us some good. It's lovely out today, isn't it?"
"Much nicer than yesterday, that's for certain." Harry agreed, unsure whether or not to ask about the weather in Spain. Colin's skin had a faint tan to it, but given why his friend had gone there in the first place bringing it up might be unwise.
"I'm going to have ta replace my bloody umbrella after yesterday." Eggsy added with a mock scowl. "Between the wind and rain it about ripped the limbs right out of the thing. Rubbish now. Had ta borrow one of Harry's this morning."
"The wind was horrible. It was a wonder you and J.B. didn't end up in Oz." Harry joked, using the observation to shift the conversation over to the dog. J.B. stories were always a great way to lighten the mood, especially since the pug seemed to find trouble and mischief wherever he went. Like how last week the silly thing had ended up chasing a bloody Rottweiler around the dog park, but still quivered in fear behind Eggsy at the sight of the cat that lived next door to Michelle and Daisy.
Roxy's poodle had recently suffered a mishap as well, there having been a mix-up with the paperwork which had led to her dog's fur being dyed pink. The groomers had been horrified, and promised Roxy free services for a year. The poodle, meanwhile, seemed to be taking her new look in stride.
And Roxy was just pulling out her phone to show them pictures of what the poor animal looked like now when a voice apologized for interrupting them, but would either of them like a sample?
Looking over Harry saw that they were passing the new sweet shop that had opened up only a month ago. The pretty young girl who'd spoken held a tray on which pretty blue colored sleeves were laid out, containing pieces of what looked like peanut brittle.
"Oh. Cheers. Thanks, Luv." Eggsy gave her a wink as he grabbed one and held it out questioningly at Harry, who took it with a smile of thanks. "Rox, Colin? Ya want?"
"Sure." Roxy took the one offered to her, than gaped at her mother in shock when Colin took one as well.
"Thanks again." Taking one for himself Eggsy smiled once more at the obviously charmed girl before turning his attention back to Roxy, asking her what was with her look.
Rather than answer Roxy jerked her chin in a gesture that was meant to indicate they needed to move out of hearing range of others before grabbing Colin's arm and steering him away from the shop and towards a spot away from the people currently walking around on their way to work or lunch.
Sharing confused looks with his mate Harry followed after the two, Eggsy doing the same until they were where Roxy apparently wanted them.
"What on earth is the matter?" Colin asked immediately, holding up his still untouched peanut brittle questioningly. "Do you think there's something wrong with it? It smells fine."
"It more about why you would be eating that in the first place." Was Roxy's gentle response.
And it was then that Harry realized just why Roxy had all but gone into shock when her mother had accepted a piece. Colin HATED peanut brittle. With a passion. And the reason why was because the only pregnancy craving Colin had ever had was for peanut brittle. He ate loads of it while pregnant from start to finish and then avoided it like the plague afterwards. Hell, he wasn't fond of peanuts in general because of it.
Understanding had all the color draining from Colin's face, the shock making him sway on his feet as both Roxy and Harry grabbed his arms to keep him upright.
Eggsy wanted to know what the heck was going on, his tone agitated as he demanded to know what was wrong with Colin.
"It's possible that Colin is pregnant."
On the one hand he understood his friend's shock well, Colin was a grandmother at this point and had certainly not expected or been trying for a late in life baby, but since there was nothing he'd ever wanted more than a child of his own…well Harry felt a few twinges of jealousy and annoyance before he bitch slapped those thoughts into silence. Colin needed him right now.
Especially since Colin looked read to keel over from shock at any moment.
"Mother…do you want me to call Father?"
Colin stared at Roxy blankly for a few moments as the question sank in before shaking his head with increased emphasis.
"No. No I-We-we need to go to him. He'll know if I'm-but of course I can't be-he'd have noticed but-I need to see your father right now. Where's the car?"
Roxy studied her mother for a moment and then pulled out her car keys and tossed them to Eggsy, who caught them deftly. "You'll get us there faster. I'll call Percival to make sure that Father's waiting for us. Harry, if you could call Rachel I'd appreciate it. Just in case."
Ignoring Colin's protests that there was no reason to contact Rachel, he must have just gotten over his dislike of peanut brittle, Roxy and Harry kept their arms through Colin's as they turned themselves around and steered them back the way they'd come with Eggsy in the lead.
)
Thankfully the car ride was a short one. That was partly due to the fact that the Morton's office building wasn't that far away, though the fact that Eggsy drove like Colin was in labor definitely sped things along, pun entirely intended. Harry wouldn't be the least surprised if the first mirror he encountered in the building revealed that his mate's aggressive driving had turned more than a few of his hairs grey in the process. Though it had provided a welcome distraction from Colin listing all the reasons that he couldn't possibly be pregnant the whole car ride there. Not that Colin didn't have some valid arguments. He did. The fact that Edward hadn't noticed a change in Colin's scent, or become instinctively overprotective and prone to treating Colin like he was made of glass were all solid arguments against him being pregnant. That's just what dominants did and it wasn't like Edward wasn't an old hand at this.
However…Harry was also pretty sure that Colin had been busy fussing and feeling horrible about Edward's injury, to the point where Edward's main focuses had been trying to assuage Colin's guilt and recover as quickly as possible. Not noticing that his mate was almost two weeks pregnant was completely understandable.
But wisely none of them pointed that out to Colin, Roxy and Harry texting their assigned people and getting assurances from both ends that Edward would be available and Rachel was on her way.
There was reserved parking for the members of the Morton family and Roxy had Eggsy park there before they all got out of the car and headed inside to take the executive lift up to the top floor where Edward's personal office was located. As before they kept Colin between them while Eggsy stood in front like a guard, prepared to tear into anyone who might try to so much as touch the probably pregnant omega in his care.
Dominant genes.
They went straight to the top without stops, the doors opening to reveal Percival pacing in front of the doors like he was the expecting father.
"Mother! Are you all right?"
"He's fine." Roxy stated very firmly as they exited the lift. "He just needs to see Father ASAP."
"He's in his office."
Since Percival was not the type not to worry and hover Harry subtly motioned the boy over to take his spot on Colin's left side, which Percival was relieved to do.
Moving up to walk beside his mate Harry suddenly realized just how quiet his mate was being. He'd hardly said two sentences in the car, and had been silent since they'd left it. And-well now that he was paying attention Eggsy kept stealing looks in his direction that Harry had no idea how to interpret.
The questioning looks he was giving weren't being acknowledged either. Odd.
Now wasn't the time to ask though, Harry reminded himself sternly, and Percival had told them to go right in so Eggsy got the door for them and held it open until everyone else was inside before closing it behind them.
"Colin." Moving as quickly as his sore back probably allowed Edward leveled himself out of his chair and made his way around the desk to meet Colin, who'd broken away from his children's hold and was full out running for his mate.
Thankfully Colin wasn't so worried that he didn't remember why it wouldn't end well if he crashed into his mate, stopping just in time before throwing his arms around Edward's waist and burrowing into the man's chest while muttering that it was all a misunderstanding.
Wrapping one arm around Colin's waist while his other hand stroked his mate's head, Edward's voice was low and soothing as he asked what was a misunderstanding.
"I can't be pregnant." Was Colin's whispered reply.
Edward's eyes visibly widened, only getting that much bigger when Roxy stated that Colin had almost eaten peanut brittle.
Then he ducked his head and closing his eyes focused on scenting his mate.
The smile he broke into moment later said it all.
