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.

Biscuit Delivery

The sound of the grandfather clock chiming out the hour had Harry looking up from his desk, his eyes checking the position of the hands to confirm the hour as his stomach clued him in to how long it had been since breakfast. He wasn't much for eating early in the morning to begin with, wasn't much for doing anything in the morning, really, so he'd just had some eggs and toast before rushing out for the day. And now that he was awake…he was really hungry.

Not to mention the fact that he was awake enough now to be curious about the lunch Eggsy had packed for him. He'd never had a packed lunch before.

At home and in school the food had always been provided for him by staff, and then after, well, he'd been perfectly happy to pay restaurants to see to his meals or occasionally throw something very easy together himself when he needed to. Sandwiches and soup, mostly. But he'd never had someone who was family, to a degree, make him lunch before. Themselves.

Pulling out the containers Eggsy had put together for him in a paper sack, Harry couldn't help but smile as he took in the thick roast beef sandwich, two chocolate biscuits, a bag of dried, homemade apple crisps, and some of Daisy's pink marshmallow dessert, which had proven to be very good the night before.

Getting up to go to the small fridge to retrieve a bottle of water, Harry had just settled in to enjoy his lunch, sandwich half in hand, when a knock sounded on his door.

Bugger.

"Come in." Setting down the sandwich with a sigh of resignation, Harry immediate picked it up again when he saw that it was Merlin. Merlin wouldn't care if he ate in front of him, or if he did care Harry didn't since they were friends, not just colleagues. And he was seriously hungry.

Walking across the room Merlin's eyebrows rose as he surveyed the food on Harry's desk. "You brought your own lunch. Unusual for you."

"Eggsy made it for me."

"You have the boy making you lunch now, too? And it doesn't look half bad."

Since his mouth was full of roast with honey mustard, and enjoying that quite a bit, Harry ignored his friend in favor of chewing and then taking another bite. Hopefully Merlin would take the hint and get to the reason why he'd come rather than sticking around, especially since Merlin was not above snitching other people's food. Particularly if they had biscuits, which Harry realized belatedly he should have stuffed in his desk before Merlin saw them. Damn.

"The boy make those biscuits?"

Typical Merlin.

"I believe so."

"And what are these?"

"Baked apple crisps. Or at least that's what Eggsy called them. Apparently you cut up apples, and then bake them in the oven. Eggsy recommended them as a snack throughout the day, since I'm not one for breakfast." Being lectured about how breakfast was the most important meal of the day had been amusing. And touching, too.

Plucking up the bag with the apple crisps while still eyeing the biscuits, Merlin helped himself to one while Harry debated eating the biscuits now, rather than after he'd finished his first course. Keeping them in reserve in case he needed to bribe Merlin for some reason seemed a better plan, though, Harry decided after a moment's reflection. He had Daisy's treat and the crisps for dessert, after all, if Merlin left any of the latter for him.

"They're good."

"Good to know. Did you have a reason for coming, by any chance?"

Munching away on his apple slices, Merlin explained in between bites that Bors had gone and gotten himself blown up again, the idiot, and would be staying with the healers for the next little while. The Fire Gifted agent loved his explosives, so this wasn't surprising news, but it was certainly unwelcome. Not to mention it also highlighted the fact that they really did need to get some new blood into Kingsman ASAP. Ones who hadn't already spent at least a couple decades being beaten and battered by the job until they were the job. Bors kept taking unnecessary risks, Harry thought with a sigh, but the man's talents were too needed for the agent to have more down time, much less retire. Not that Bors would be willing to do either.

His sandwich and marshmallow jello finished over the course of the conversation, Harry wasn't surprised that Merlin cut off in mid rant about the equipment Bors had destroyed the moment Harry unwrapped the two palm sized biscuits from the plastic cling wrap Eggsy had wrapped around them to keep them fresh.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Harry held out one to Merlin before taking a bite of his own.

By all the gods and goddesses.

"Bloody hell! This tastes just like the chocolate biscuits my Gran used to make!"

Jerking in surprise at the decibel of Merlin's shout, his flailing hands nearly knocking over his water bottle and laptop, Harry gaped at Merlin decimated the biscuit in his hand before actually turning to look at the one in Harry's hand, the look in the Scot's eyes suggesting the fact that the possibility of Harry's germs wouldn't matter to him. And Harry could believe that, because he knew how much Merlin had loved his late grandmother's biscuits. It had devastated his friend when she'd died unexpectedly, taking her recipe with her to the grave.

When Merlin grabbed him by his lapels though, well that was taking things just a little too far.

"Your boy made these?!"

"Get ahold of yourself, Man!"

"You will tell me how to get more of these biscuits, Harry." For emphasis Merlin moved around the desk so nothing was separating them now, spinning Harry's chair to face him before clamping his hands down on the arm rests. Then the tech genius leaned in so that his face was uncomfortably close to Harry's for added emphasis. "I have not had these biscuits in over seven years. SEVEN YEARS, Harry! And I have NOT had a good week. Don't mess with me."

Recognizing the crazy look in his friend's eyes, Harry groaned as he stated that Merlin had been living at HQ again, hadn't he? That never boded well for anyone who had to have contact with the Scotsman when he eventually reached the end of his rope and started acting like a cranky toddler. Particularly since Merlin tended to forget to eat and sleep when he was here, often working nonstop as he drove himself to exhaustion. And unfortunately Merlin's assistants were too afraid to tell Merlin to eat before this happened. Or do anything, really.

In retrospect he was surprised Merlin hadn't eaten all his lunch on him.

"When was the last time you ate something aside from junk and tea?"

The look on Merlin's face said it all.

"Here." Handing over the rest of his apple crisps, Harry motioned for the other man to eat up while he pulled out his cellphone, accessed Eggsy's number, and hoped the boy would answer. He even put it on speaker, since that way when Merlin started ranting it would be easier for Eggsy to understand so that he wasn't stuck translating.

"Hello, Harry."

Thankfully Eggsy answered quickly, his face popping up on the screen and moving in a way that suggested he was walking somewhere, outdoors if Harry wasn't mistaken.

"Good afternoon, Eggsy. I hope I'm not interrupting something."

"Nah, we was just headin home, actually. The visit ta the park didn't go so well today."

Brows furrowing, especially since he wasn't sure how to interpret Eggsy's expression, Harry asked what had happened while ignoring Merlin's annoyed huff.

"Well we was gonna feed the ducks while we was there, see, but I read somewhere that ya shouldn't feed ducks bread. So I brought some seeds instead, cause I figured that'd be better for im and Daisy was stoked ta feed them. Only it was the squirrels that wanted the seeds more, and they freaked her right out. Here. I'll send ya the pic."

Moments later a new image took over the screen, Daisy standing on some grass, surrounded by squirrels and looking at the camera in Eggsy's phone with a 'What the fuck do I do now' look on her face. Though in child terms Harry supposed it would be more along the lines of 'Help, I don't know what to do' look.

Either way it was adorable and he couldn't help but laugh, saving the image to his own phone before turning his view screen back to Eggsy to tell him he liked the picture very much.

"Yeah. Definitely a keeper. Daisy ain't gonna be feedin the ducks again for a while though. Right, Flower? Can ya sa hi to Uncle Harry for me?"

The screen blurred and then Daisy's face came mostly into view for a moment. Before she buried her face against Eggsy's chest, which muffled her greeting entirely.

"It's nice to see you, Daisy. I'm sorry that your trip to the park didn't go as planned. Perhaps next time you'll have more fun."

"Sorry she's being shy again. The squirrels really did freak her out. Freaked me out a little too, come ta that. Generally when ya get swarmed like that by rodents in our neighborhood, its rats. She mighta thought they was rats with bushy tails, now that I think about it. Have ta check on that." The screen blurred and then Eggsy's face appeared again. "So what's up? Just checkin in?"

"No. Actually, I'm calling for the ridiculous reason that Merlin wants to know where you got the biscuits you put in my lunch."

"What? Seriously? Why?"

"Apparently they taste just like the ones his grandmother used to make for him."

"Really?" Eggsy laughed. "It's my Great Gran's recipe. Well mine and Daisy's."

"I'll pay you for the recipe." Merlin announced, apparently tired of letting Harry control the conversation.

"No need for that, Guv. I'll give it ta Harry ta give ta ya. It's ain't nothin special, though, far as I know. Or at least there ain't no special ingredient or nothin. Cept love. Or at least ta hear Great Gran tell it." Another laugh. "If ya want I can make ya biscuits, too. Or we got some in the freezer as is at the moment."

"Bring them to the shop."

"Merlin. You are not to order Eggsy around like a servant. And it is NOT his job to supply you with biscuits." And Harry could not believe he'd just had to say that. "I know you're hungry and have been skipping meals again but-"

"Do you want your tech department to keep running smoothly and efficiently so you don't have MORE paperwork to deal with?

Harry stared at him in shock. "That's blackmail."

"That's don't deny me my biscuits."

"Oi! No fightin now, you two. Look, I'll get the unfrozen biscuits from the tin, and some of the others from the freezer, and then I'll put Daisy in the car and come drop them off. If ya want, I mean. Not like we got anythin we gotta do today."

Harry's statement that that wasn't necessary was overridden by Merlin's agreement that that was a great idea.

"Merlin."

Chuckling, Eggsy stated that they'd be there within half an hour, so they could just quit arguing.

Resigned to the fact that the two were coming, Harry asked if Eggsy needed directions to the shop. He'd told Eggsy that Kingsman was his main base of operations workwise, but had yet to bring him by to see it for himself.

"Nah. I looked it up on my phone, saved the directions. I got this."

"Well all right then. Drive safe."

"You got it, Bruv."

)

While they waited for Eggsy and Daisy to arrive with Merlin's biscuits Harry took the time to ask Merlin if there weren't some things they needed to discuss. Like the man's workload and how he might have been taking on too much recently. Which, once he got the other man talking about it, Harry could see was the case in spades. In fact, it was a wonder that Merlin hadn't had a meltdown already. King's betrayal had hit Kingsman hard, and had also required a lot of time and energy being spent rooting out the other traitors in their midst. None of them had really had a break since then, but due to the injuries he'd received around that time Harry hadn't had nearly as much weight put on his shoulders as Merlin had. And that would have to change, somehow, regardless of the fact that Merlin had said he'd be lightening his load so that Harry could be home more often for his ward.

He and Merlin were still arguing about that as they walked down the steps that would lead into the tailor shop, which was doing decent business at the moment, thye noted. And also meant they had to watch what they said since the majority of the customers were regular humans.

So they had to settle for giving each other looks until the door opened and in walked Eggsy and Daisy.

Harry noted the looks Eggsy got immediately from the shop's current patrons. The clothes the boy wore immediately marking him as lower class without Eggsy having to say a word. The boy's attire was clean and even neatly pressed, but that didn't stop them from looking down his nose at him. Typical.

Daisy was given weird looks just because she was a child, though the clothes she wore marked her as higher class than her brother, at least on the outside. They were obviously new ones Eggsy must have bought for her recently.

And of course she latched onto her brother's leg in a death grip as soon as she saw him across the room which Harry reminded himself was not a reflection on him but the world she'd lived in up until now. He just hoped she broke the habit soon before it gave him a complex.

Giving him a rueful grin, Eggsy stroked the top of his sister's with his now free hand, the other weighed down with a sack that Harry imagined contained the biscuits they'd come to deliver.

"We should go to them." Harry stated, starting forward with Merlin following after him as they weaved their way through the displays while Eggsy shuffled the two of them off to the side so that they weren't blocking the door or calling as much attention to themselves.

"Hello, Eggsy, Daisy. My apologies for making you come all this way."

"Is okay. We was gonna drop by and check out your shop sometime soon, anyway. Specially since the daycare she's gonna go to is so close and all. The shop's real nice by the way, Harry. Ain't it, Daisy?"

If she had an opinion on the shop and answered it was too muffled by Eggsy's trousers for them to catch.

Giving them a 'sorry' look, Eggsy changed the subject. "So you're Merlin, then? I'm Eggsy."

Taking the hand Eggsy offered him, Merlin shook it. "Nice to meet you, Eggsy. Miss. Daisy."

"She says hi, too." Eggsy smiled as he lifted his left hand. "And here's your biscuits. There's also a packed lunch in there, since Harry said that ya hadn't been eatin enough. It ain't much, but it's better for ya than all those biscuits. So make sure ya eat the other stuff too."

"You…thank you. I will."

"No prob for Harry's best mate."

Once Merlin had the bag Eggsy managed to detach Daisy from his leg and lifted her up and into his arms, where she felt comfortable and safe enough to let them see her face as she looked around them with interest. Her hair was up in adorable pigtails tied with blue ribbon, and she was smiling shyly at them as she fiddled with Eggsy's collar nervously.

"Well aren't you a bonny lass, then. Harry and Eggsy will have quite the time of it, won't they, when the lads start comin round wanting to ask you out."

A pause, then Harry and Eggsy shared a look that said ya, they were NOT looking forward to those years. At all.

"She ain't gonna date till I can't hold her off on it no more. And after she's got at least a brown belt in somethin."

"That's an excellent idea. I'll look into how early she can start taking lessons." In fact Harry liked the idea so much he pulled out his phone just to make a note of it. Not that he doubted his and Eggsy combined ability to put the fear of God into Daisy's future dates, he was also familiar with how easily teenage hormones could overrule common sense. And basic survival instincts.

"When she's a little older you should arrange for her to spend some time with Ms. Morton." Merlin commented as he riffled through the bag he'd been given, setting it on a table so that he had his hands free to open the tin and withdraw a biscuit.

"Biccie!" Eyes lighting up, Daisy pointed at the biscuit in Merlin's hand with definite want shining in her eyes.

And points to Merlin, it only took his friend a moment to wrestle with his conscience before he handed over the biscuit to Daisy before going back to get his own while Eggsy apologized for not anticipating her reaction. She loved her biccies.

"And who could blame her." Was Merlin's response as he took a big bite out of his own biscuit, joining Daisy in making yummy sounds that had Eggsy and Harry sharing a look of extreme amusement at their expense.

"Merlin, go have your lunch. And arrange for whatever you need me to do to be on my laptop and I'll do it at home after Daisy goes down for the night."

Making a sound that was no doubt deliberately up for interpretation, Merlin waved good bye to them and then grabbing his lunch headed back the way they'd come.

Leaving Harry to give Eggsy and Daisy a tour of Kingsman.