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.
Art of Picking Up
Of course today of all days he'd get horribly behind schedule, with everything taking longer than it seemed it should. And every effort he made to catch up or rearrange things so that he could do them later seemed to backfire on him, leaving Harry with no choice but to admit defeat. To a degree. Because he was determined not to let Daisy down when this was the first thing she'd really asked of him as her guardian, and not following through on his promises was not a precedent he wanted to start. Ergo he was forced to ask Miss. Morton if she would be so kind as to come with him to pick up Daisy so that she could brief him on the car ride there and back.
The majority of his Kingsman agents wouldn't have understood his request either because they were confirmed bachelors who had never so much as babysat, much less raised a child, or because they were old school enough that they thought children were the nanny or wife's responsibility, and that a man's work came first. But thankfully Miss. Morton was surprised, but agreeable to his proposal, and made not a peep of complaint as they headed out of the tailor shop and got into the car to drive over to the daycare as rain began to fall around them.
As planned they spent the short car ride there discussing her latest mission in Austria, mainly the importance of the information gathered and whether or not effort should be made to try and find Porter, an Earth Gifted arms dealer that trafficked in both human and magical items. He was a tricky one, and almost impossible to find. And even when you found him…well odds were that there wouldn't be enough proof to arrest him thanks to the bastard's friends in high places. And Porter was just that good.
They had to pause their discussion once they reached the daycare of course, it wouldn't do to discuss such things where one couldn't be sure who would overhear them. Not to mention it wasn't exactly a topic for children's ears.
Both using the umbrellas they'd been smart enough to bring with them, Harry hoped Eggsy had arrived before the rain had really start to come down as the boy hadn't had an umbrella with him earlier. He'd be in real trouble if the boy caught a cold. And possibly gave it to Daisy AND him.
Harry shuddered just thinking about it.
If the name of the daycare amused Miss. Morton she showed no signs of it as they let down their umbrellas and shook them off before entering, remaining coolly professional as always as they walked into the building to find that Carrie was once again manning the desk, the woman smiling brightly at them as she informed him that Eggsy had come in not two minutes before.
Good manners had Harry thanking her for the information, the woman beaming in response.
"And who is this lovely young lady, if you don't mind me asking. You're far too young for her to be your daughter."
Harry wasn't sure if that was meant to insult Miss. Morton or not, given the way the older woman was now looking at his agent. He had the uncomfortable thought that Carrie was speculating or looking for confirmation that Miss. Morton was perhaps his midlife crisis girlfriend or mistress, both of which insulted both of them. But either way he was quick to inform her that Miss. Morton worked with him, and had been kind enough to come along for the ride to pick up Daisy before they headed back to work.
Miss. Morton smiled pleasantly and nodded in Carrie's direction, her hello a little cool, but polite.
"I see. And will she possibly be picking up Daisy in the future in her role as your secretary?"
Harry could feel Miss. Morton stiffen at his side. "It's not likely, no. And she's not my secretary, as a matter of fact. We were colleagues originally, before my recent promotion. She's one of our brightest new recruits at Kingsman."
And could kill you blindfolded and with her hands tied behind her back, Harry silently added. So insulting her would be very bad for your health.
Thankfully Miss. Morton came to both their rescues by pointing out that they should head down so that he was there when Daisy came out, Carrie immediately waving them on with wishes for them to have a good day. Though even as she said it Carrie continued to give Harry speculative glances that had him very tempted to inform her that he was a homosexual, and was no more interested in Miss. Morton than he would be in the woman herself.
But good manners kept him quiet, and Harry waited until they were out of hearing distance to thank his companion for extracting them.
"Of course, Sir." A moment's pause. "You're going to want to watch out for her."
"Oh?"
She nodded. "Recently divorced and desperate."
Since he too had noticed the difference in skin tone that had marked the recent removal of a wedding ring, Harry nodded in agreement of her assessment.
"Eggsy will primarily be dealing with her, though I suppose I should warn him as well." She was far too old for Eggsy of course, and it went without saying that the boy wouldn't be interested in someone older than his own mother had been at her passing, but it wouldn't hurt to suggest that Eggsy tone down his naturally charming nature when dealing with Carrie. Just in case.
That name would forever have bad connotations for him thanks to Stephen King.
"I'm guessing that's him."
Glancing in the direction Miss. Morton was looking Harry immediately spotted Eggsy, the boy looking a little damp, but not soaked, thankfully. He was also very much standing out among the small crowd of people waiting for their children to come out as well.
"Hey, Harry. Ya made it." Pushing off against the wall he'd been leaning against, Eggsy came over with his usual smile.
Harry, meanwhile, noted that there were several parents and staff who were watching them with rather blatant interest, having no doubt been wondering why someone of Eggsy's class would be here in the first place. Now here he was, not doubt confusing them that much more since some would recognize him, while others would have the eye to know good breeding and money when they saw it.
Typical, and he had zero interest in enlightening them.
"Just. Mostly because Miss. Morton here was willing to have our meeting on the go. Eggsy, this is Roxanne Morton, a fellow Kingsman. Miss. Morton, this is my ward's older brother, Eggsy. You two are actually the same age, I believe." A thought occurred to him. "And I forgot to tell Carrie that you were very much old enough to be my daughter. I shall work that in somehow in the future."
"I don't think that would be enough to scare her off, Sir."
"Made her move, did she?" Eggsy wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "She was pumpin me for info about ya when I first came in. Thinks it's a real shame, she does, that such a handsome and well-bred gentleman like yourself is still a bachelor."
"I hope you had the sense not to encourage her."
"Course not."
"Excellent."
"Pleasure to meet you, Eggsy." Miss. Morton stated, holding out a hand to Eggsy, which the boy took and shook. "Feel free to call me, Roxy."
"Cheers."
Letting go of Eggsy's hand, Miss. Morton smiled at him charmingly. "And on behalf of everyone working with him, thank you for the food and biscuits you've been sending Merlin this past week. We all appreciate it."
Face lighting up with laughter, Eggsy told her he was happy to help.
"Hello, Harry."
Recognizing this voice, though they'd only talked a couple of times over the phone recently, Harry turned around with a smile on his face and a hand coming up to offer. "Hello, Jasper. Nice to see you."
"And you." Returning the handshake, Jasper was all smiles as well. "And I see you decided to put Daisy into Bag End. Good choice. Frankly, my son would live here if he could. He's even more of a people person than I am."
"We're hoping that she loves it just as much." Jasper was one of the people he'd talked to about the place after Jasper's grandfather, a Kingsman, had put them in touch. "Jasper, I believe you already know Miss. Morton, but allow me to introduce Eggsy Unwin. Eggsy, this is Jasper Cunningham. His son goes here as well."
"Nice to meet you."
"And you."
Jasper and Roxy were just done greeting each other when Mrs. Markle appeared in the classroom's doorway, her back to them as she addressed her charges, reminding them to leave through the door in an orderly line, get dressed to go outside, and then wait patiently on the bench below their hooks for their guardians if they weren't here yet.
Then she moved to the side, and to their credit the children actually did come out in two somewhat straight lines right up until they were a couple steps out of the door. When they went running for either their hooks or a parent.
Daisy was in the middle of her line, her hand in the little boy's from earlier, Daniel, while Mr. Fox was clutched in her free hand.
As soon as Daisy was through the door she started anxiously looking around, her whole face lighting up with relief and happiness when she spotted Eggsy. And it might have just been his imagination and wishful thinking on his part, but Harry thought she looked pleased too, when she saw that he was standing there as well.
But of course it was to Eggsy that she ran to, the boy scooping her up into his arms and giving her a loud, smacking kiss on the cheek as he asked her if she'd had fun today.
It was grudging, but Daisy nodded.
"Hi, Dad."
Ah, he'd forgotten that Jasper's son was named Danny, which he assumed was short of Daniel. The boy Daisy had apparently taken enough of a shine to, Harry surmised, to hold his hand for comfort. And who was now beaming up at Jasper.
"There's my boy." Reaching over Jasper ruffled the boy's hair in casual affection. "Let's go get your stuff and get out of here, okay?" The look he sent in their direction was apologetic. "Nice seeing you all, and sorry I can't chat longer, but I'm on a tight schedule today."
Waving that off Harry thanked him again for the recommendation and then watched as the man left with his son, Eggsy and Daisy right after them to get her dressed for the outdoors as well.
Daniel's hook was near Daisy's, and while they dressed their respective children Eggsy and Jasper appeared to be deep in conversation about something, both their faces animated and Jasper definitely sending Eggsy a couple flirty looks, even fluttering his lashes at him an exaggerated manner at one point.
Harry knew that Jasper Cunningham was in his late thirties, a handsome, well educated, and fairly well off gentleman of good family. There had been some upset in the family when he'd come out as homosexual, and more when he'd left a successful career in banking to open up a relaxation spa. He had also broken up with his long term partner less than a year ago and had sole custody of the boy they'd had by surrogate.
Eggsy seemed to like him.
Was in fact getting out his phone and…getting Jasper's number? Really?
Eyes narrowing, his mind whirling to collect ever spare bit of data he had on Jasper, Harry frowned at the idea that the man might be putting the moves on Eggsy. He was far too old…alright, not THAT old, but still…he was a single parent and Eggsy already had enough on his plate without taking that on.
Though the fact that Daisy and Daniel would be out of the way at the same time, and Eggsy didn't have a job and Jasper was his own boss…
And then Jasper was waving at him and walking past with Daniel, Harry waving back automatically even as he was irrationally happy to see the other man go.
"All right there, Harry?"
Turning his attention back to Eggsy and Daisy, Harry assured him that it was. And asked if they had everything, especially Mr. Fox since he didn't see him.
"He's in her bag. Didn't want him ta get wet, now do we?"
At his side Daisy shook her head.
"Excellent." Harry smiled down at the little girl, while also belatedly recalling that he had yet to introduce his ward to the woman who had made his presence here possible. "Daisy, this is…Roxy. She works with Merlin and I. She came to meet and thank you for the lunches you've been making for us with Eggsy."
Daisy returned Roxy's greeting with a shy hi, her eyes considering and oddly guarded. And then she did something so unexpected Harry almost dropped his umbrella.
She took his hand in hers, uniting him with her and Eggsy.
Eggsy shot him a pleased look, while Harry hoped his pleased shock wasn't written too obviously all over his face as he cleared his throat.
"Well then, let's head out, shall we?"
)
Thankfully Carrie was occupied when it came time to cross her path, so to speak, so there was no trouble until it was time to step foot out of the building. And into the pouring rain. When they were four people and only had two umbrellas between them. Daisy was small, though, and Miss. Morton came to the rescue by moving around to stand on Eggsy's other side, suggesting that Harry share his umbrella with Daisy, and she'd share hers with Eggsy.
It worked well enough, even though it was rather hard given the difference between his stride and his ward's. Picking her up and just carrying her would have been easier, but she seemed happy to remain sandwiched between him and Eggsy.
Arriving at the car Eggsy let go of Daisy's hand, which had her frowning up at him, but he just told her to go with Harry so that he could help her into her chair so that they could go home. The thought of home had a smile returning to her face, and Daisy made no protect when Harry led her over to the back and closing his umbrella helped Daisy into her chair as quickly as possible. And then he stared at the straps with some idea what went where, but not enough that he was willing to bet her safety on it.
He was grateful when Eggsy called over that he'd strap her in once he got in too.
Leaving the task in Eggsy's far more capable hands, Harry walked back over to the driver's seat and took his place while Miss. Morton did the same. Eggsy, once in the back, secured Daisy into place after removing the knapsack Harry had forgotten about. Damn.
Harry waited until they were all strapped in and then cautiously pulled out of the parking spot. There were kids everywhere, after all, and he had a child in his own vehicle to worry about.
Judging from the sidelong look Miss. Morton gave him, he was perhaps being a tad over cautious, but he ignored it.
"Eggsy?"
"Yeah, Luv?"
"What's yoga?"
While Harry puzzled over why Daisy would be asking about yoga of all things, Eggsy explained that yoga was special exercises you could learn to become very flexible, like how he'd taken gymnastics as a lad. The boy obviously saw no point in trying to explain that it was also seen as a form of relaxation and mediation, which she wouldn't understand in the slightest.
"I'm gonna do flips and touch me head with me feet like ya can?"
Harry was stunned simultaneous by A, her enthusiasm for something that wasn't food or toy related, B, the fact that she'd said so much all at once in his presence, and C, the idea that Eggsy was that flexible.
"Well not in yoga you ain't. At least not the flips." Eggsy sounded unsure about that last part, though he was correct as far as Harry knew. "I don't really know what sort of positions we'd be learnin there. But if ya like it we could try ya for gymnastics when you're a bit older. Side from the arse kicking lessons Harry and I are signin ya up for." A pause. "Have either of ya two ever done yoga?"
Miss. Morton stated that she hadn't done so willingly, Harry shaking his head before following up that statement with the obvious question of why they were discussing yoga to begin with.
"Oh. Cause that Jasper bloke suggested that Daisy and I come by his work this Saturday, try out family yoga with im and Daniel. He said the first class would be free, so we could see if we liked it or not. I didn't promise im we'd do it, Harry. And we won't sign up or nothing without runnin it by you."
"Ah. I see." And since a brief glance in his mirror showed Eggsy looking a bit anxious, Harry assured him that he thought that that was an excellent idea.
"All right then, I'll text im and tell him we'll try and make it this weekend, then."
And he would have Merlin do a deep background check on Jasper just in case the other man was using this yoga business as a springboard to getting to know Eggsy better. Eggsy might not be his ward, but the boy was living under his roof and what affected him affected Daisy.
Which was the only reason he was doing this, Harry told himself, ignoring the little voice in the back of his mind that wasn't buying that excuse one little bit.
