Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original ideas and characters. Thank for reading!
Welcome Home
The plan had been for Harry to meet Daisy before she moved in with him, but the foster home she'd been placed in had been hit with the flu that was currently making its rounds, apparently, and meeting her while she was sick and miserable would not have done either of them any good. He had sent her a bear and flowers with a card wishing her a speedy recovery, but the meeting had been canceled and this would be their first encounter with each other. He was as nervous as Harry would imagine a normal first time parent was supposed to be. And it was bloody awful.
His meetings with the social worker had gone well though, as had the at home inspections. Eggsy had done an amazing job with Daisy's room, in Harry's opinion, and the childproofing had met even the picky social worker's standards. Naturally he had passed all the other hurdles the government threw in people's ways in these sorts of circumstances, he had collected more than enough 'IOUs' over the years to make that happen easily enough.
Now here he was, pacing back and forth like the expecting parent he technically was, waiting for the social worker to arrive with Daisy. Eggsy was in the house too, hiding from the social worker in the kitchen, but Harry had too much pride to seek the boy out to talk to in an attempt to distract himself from what was coming.
From the fact that this was Day One of his life as the legal guardian of a minor child.
The horror.
But he had Eggsy, Harry reminded himself sternly, and he'd found a daycare a five minute walk from Kingsman that would take her for two mornings during the week, which would give Eggsy a break while giving Daisy a chance to socialize with those of her peer group. They'd come highly recommended, and while he hadn't found a babysitter to occasionally watch her when Eggsy needed a full day off, Harry was sure he'd find someone up to his standards soon. And worst came to worst…he could probably watch a child for a few hours. Everyone was born with some instinctual need to protect and continue their species, after all, and the girl was three years old. She was bound to be a lot less trouble than an infant would be.
Or at least there would be no nappies involved, and really, how much trouble could a three year old get into?
And if nothing else there was the chance that his own diet was going to improve in the coming years if Eggsy could actually cook with all the ingredients the boy had loaded up his cupboards and such with yesterday. If Eggsy couldn't…well surely the boy wouldn't have chosen a roast for their first dinner as a family if he didn't know what the hell he was doing in the kitchen.
Though Eggsy was on the cocky side…
Dear God, don't let them all get food poisoning tonight.
Glancing at his wristwatch for a distraction, Harry saw that it was a minute before one, which was when the social worker had stated she'd be there. And recognizing a Type A when he met one, especially since the woman was the sort who could probably terrify time into bending to her will despite being a government employee, Harry felt confident walking over to his door and opening it, standing on his stoop for perhaps forty seconds before a very sensible and boring car came driving up towards his front door.
Returning the woman's curt nod of greeting when she got out of the car, Harry watched as she turned to open the backseat door to retrieve Daisy, who would be in one of those chair things Eggsy had put on the list of things they'd need to buy when he informed his new nanny that he'd have access to a car when he needed it. Of course he'd said that before he'd remembered to check the boy's driving history, but according to Eggsy he'd once successfully driven through London backwards without being caught by the police, which Eggsy had thought he'd find comforting.
Since that was something he might have done when he was the boy's age, Harry had decided not to judge after making sure that the boy knew that he wasn't to do that again.
His niece, when she came into view, was about average for her size according to Harry's research, with a headful of blonde curls and a small, rather worn stuffed rabbit backpack strapped to her back. She was dressed warmly, which he approved of, but once the social worker started walking Daisy towards him, holding the girl's hand with her left while her right carried a duffel bag, Harry stopped catalogue all the little bits and pieces that made up his ward and focused on the fact that everything about her, from her body language to her bowed head, radiated defeat. She wasn't fighting the social worker's hold, or even dragging her feet, she was simply resigned to her fate and miserable for it.
"Good day, Mr. Hart."
"Ms. Brice. Hello, Daisy." Thinking to present less of an imposing figure, Harry crouched down, not surprised when the girl didn't bother to glance up at him.
"Say hello to your Uncle Harry, Daisy."
A slight flinch at the underlining command behind the suggestion, and then Daisy was tipping her head up enough to briefly meet Harry's eyes, revealing that hers were brown, unlike her brother's green. And these eyes also lacked Eggsy's spirt and brightness, the girl's voice low and dull as she said hello as commanded, before dropping her chin down again.
"She's shy." Brice explained with a rather patronizing tone of voice as she looked in Daisy's direction before giving him a bright smile that was obviously meant to reassure him. "And she's no longer contagious, of course, though she doesn't quite have her energy back yet. Which is probably for the best, actually, since it will give you time to ease into parenthood. Not that I have the slightest doubt about you, of course, Mr. Hart. I know an excellent guardian when I see one."
Right. Because a middle aged, homosexual bachelor shapeshifter with no spouse, childrearing experience was a great choice even before one factored in the fact that his career revolved around the hunting and often executing dangerous individuals. Of course a trained killer was the perfect person to care for a toddler, who could be better?
It really was a pity he couldn't clue her in to how off her gut was in this matter.
Though from what he knew of them, he was still better than the parents Daisy had been 'gifted' with at birth, and Harry figured that if nothing else Daisy at least wouldn't remember what a bastard her father had been. Soon enough he and Eggsy would be the only family the girl remembered.
"Here's her bag." She continued, holding it out to Harry, who straightened up to his full height to take it. "Would you like me to come in with you, to help settle her in?"
"I don't think that's necessary. I thought I'd take her straight up to her room, as her brother was kind enough to drop off some of her things. Being around familiar things, as well as the room designed specifically for her, struck me as a good place to start."
"That is an excellent idea. Though you might want to look over anything he brought carefully. One does have to be careful when it comes to bugs and such."
Aware that it was in everyone's interest that the woman leave as soon as possible, Harry settled for a curt nod without verbally agreeing with her snobbery. And at least this would be the last time he had to deal with her, not that she knew that as she rattled off some instructions and reassurances that she'd be back to check on them and such. Legally Daisy would be his before the end of the week, and then the social worker before him would be informed by her boss that her work here was done. A benefit of having friends in high places, especially when he had a low tolerance for bureaucratic bullshite.
One more reason him being named Arthur was insane.
It took about five more minutes of nodding and keeping his answers short and to the point, but finally the woman was back in her car and driving off, Harry watching her go while Daisy, it seemed, was more interest in continuing to stare down at her purple sandals.
"Well we won't be seeing her again, which is for the best. Shall we go inside, Daisy?"
No reply.
Deciding to take a page from the social worker's book, loath though he was to do so, Harry reached over and took the girl's hand in his, the smallness of it freaking him out just a little as he gave it a little tug, Daisy starting to walk beside him on cue as they headed for the front door. He'd left it unlocked, so it took no time at all for him to get her inside the house, the fact that she didn't speak a word unnerving him as much as her small stature. But inside was where Eggsy was, and once the boy was involved he could turn her over to him and that would be that. Problem solved.
Closing the door behind them, and setting the duffel on the floor for the time being, Harry let go of her hand and then walked around to crouch in front of her again, Daisy still as a little cherub statue.
"This is your new home, Daisy." Harry began, doing his best to keep his voice soft and nonthreatening. "No one is going to take you away from here. This is your house now, too. And I hope to give you a good life here…and that you'll understand that even when I make mistakes I do wish to give you the best life I can. But for now I think there's someone here you want to see more than your new room."
And so saying Harry got to his feet and stood slightly off to the side as he called out Eggsy's name.
)
Not if he lived for a hundred more years would Harry forget the look on Daisy's face when Eggsy came running into the hallway now that he had the all clear to join them. Nor would he forget the look on Eggsy's. The way Daisy's previously blank and lifeless face lighting up like a lit candle, the joy naked on her face as she screamed her brother's name and ran to him as fast as her little legs could carry her. And Eggsy, scooping her up and hugging her so gently but tightly in his arms, Daisy with her little face pressed up against Eggsy's neck while Eggsy...he beamed at Harry with all his thanks and happiness, the beauty of it breathtaking to behold.
This is what he'd remember when sharing his house with the two of them irritated the hell out of him.
Shoving his hands in his pockets Harry gave them their moment, a faint hint of jealousy crossing his thoughts, as he was quite sure no one had ever been so happy to see him before. He knew plenty of people who'd been very happy to see him when he saved them from certain death or some other horrible fate, but it wasn't the same thing. Daisy would only be this happy to see her brother and vice versa. No one else would do for the other. It must be a wonderful thing, to be loved so much by someone.
After a few minutes the hug loosened a bit, though Eggsy kept Daisy in his arms after swiping his shirt sleeve over his eyes quickly, perhaps in the hopes that Harry wouldn't notice.
"Enough of this mushy stuff, right, Daisy chain? Ya wanna go see your new room, then?"
"Room?"
"Yeah. Ya'll love it. Harry and me, we've been workin on it just for ya. So let's go then. We'll put your stuff away too, then show ya the rest of this place, alright?" Eggsy looked around for the duffel, which Harry got to first since it wasn't like Eggsy didn't already have his hands full. He could see that Eggsy considered arguing, but was in too good a mood to do so.
And so off the two went, Eggsy taking the stairs a little too quickly in Harry's opinion, as three year old bones were likely more breakable than twenty something ones, weren't they?, but the two made it to the top of the stairs without incident. And then they waited for him there, Eggsy all but vibrating with anticipation, so that Harry felt it necessary to pick up the pace so that they could all go into the room together, which was what Eggsy seemed to want.
Since his sole contribution to the room's decoration was a small table, chairs, and tea set, all meant for a child, of course, Harry was fairly sure that the room would meet with the little girl's approval. Or at least he assumed that Eggsy had a better idea what to get a child, since he'd decided on the tea set as a present solely because he could recall being made to drink fake tea as a child with a couple of step sisters before they, like Dean, had left with their father once the inevitable divorce happened.
Eggsy's friend was still working out a design for the walls, but the boy had gotten the little canopy bed for his sister, the pillows and sheets either pink or grass green to go with the comforter on top, which was a checkerboard of those two colors. There were new stuffed animals on the bed as well, the dresser, bedside table, and the other pieces of child furniture white for the time being. There were books and toys on a shelf for her as well, her own mixed in with the new he'd told Eggsy to buy her.
All in all Harry thought it looked quite nice if one was a girl.
Daisy, upon entering, looked shocked and stunned by the splendor around her.
With prompting from Eggsy she moved around the room to take it all in, Eggsy pointing out her old toys and the new, the picture of her, Eggsy, and their mother on top of the bedside table. Dean didn't feature in any of the pictures the boy had set out on display in either his room or his sister's. Though Eggsy's father's military portrait held a place of honor in Eggsy's own room.
Having looked into the sort of man Dean had grown up to be Harry had silently agreed with Eggsy's decision to erase what few reminders the girl might have of the man.
Meanwhile it was quite obvious to both of them that Daisy was not getting the fact that this was her room. That, Harry noted, and the room wasn't as important to the child as staying as close to Eggsy's as possible, the girl clutching onto him and scrambling back into his arms when he tried to get her to try out her new bed.
"Eggsy? Perhaps you should show her your room now. That might help her understand this all better."
"Oh! Right! Come on then, Daisy. Wanna see my room?"
Clinging to her brother Daisy just buried her face against Eggsy's neck again, hiding from the both of them now that she'd been reminded that Harry was with them.
Not taking offense to that Harry set aside the duffel he'd forgotten he still had and held the door open for the two siblings instead, following behind them to Eggsy's room.
In stark contrast to her own room, where she'd been silent the entire time, this time Daisy pointed at various things that she obviously knew and recognized like the portrait, clothes, and the other few odds and ends the boy had kept for himself.
And each time Eggsy agreed that she was right, that was his father or cap or wallet.
"This is my room with my stuff, Daisy. Just like your stuff was in your room, remember?"
Face scrunched up as she pondered this, Daisy's voice was unsure when she spoke again. "Dis Eggsy's room?"
"That's right."
"The pink room…?"
"Is your room. Right by mine. Cause this is your house now, Daisy. Yours, mine, and Harry's."
Glancing at him from the safety of Eggsy's arms, Daisy's voice was probably meant to be whispered, but Harry heard her loud whisper well enough as she asked Eggsy if Harry was his boyfriend.
Flushing, Eggsy looked at Harry as he turned an even darker shade of pink before stuttering out that no, Harry wasn't his boyfriend. He was Daisy's uncle.
"Uncle?"
"Yeah. You know what an uncle is. Like how Jamal is Cassie's uncle cause her mum is Jamal's sister. Remember? Harry's a part of our family now and that's why we're livin here with him. Cause we're family."
Chewing on her bottom lip, it was obvious that Daisy was having a hard time wrapping her mind around the fact that Harry, who was of course a complete stranger to her, could be a part of her family. Especially since Harry was aware that he probably dressed quite unlike the vast majority of the adults she'd spent time with in her short life.
Feeling like he should say something Harry cleared his throat. "I hope we shall all be very happy here together. As a family."
Meeting his gaze willingly for the first time, Harry could only describe the look in Daisy's eyes as highly skeptical.
Which was only fair, since he wasn't sure how the bloody hell this was going to work out either.
