Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it.
Getting A Little Wet
Harry wasn't sure if the headache brewing in his head was a result of the hectic day he'd had, worries about Daisy and Eggsy, or possibly a prelude to one of the migraines he'd been forced to become accustom to thanks to a dark magic user named Valentine. But either way the pills he'd taken before leaving Kingsman had yet to do anything by the time he'd arrived home for the night.
He'd missed dinner, there had been no way around it, and he'd imagine that Daisy was asleep already. Or Harry hoped that she was, as she'd woken up three times the night before until Eggsy had taken her to his room to sleep with him for the night. Her first day at daycare had apparently been fun for the most part, but it had also poked at still healing wounds aswell, and Daisy had been clingy since. Or at least she had been last evening and this morning.
Missing dinner probably hadn't helped, Harry acknowledged with a sigh, but it really had been unavoidable.
Eggsy had texted that he'd leave him his dinner in the fridge, and Harry's plans for the rest of the night revolved around eating said food, going upstairs to change, and then spending an hour in his pool before returning his nose to the figurative grindstone.
Unlocking the door and letting himself in, Harry sighed in relief at being home as he set his briefcase and bag down and turned his attention to setting aside his umbrella and shrugging out of his coat.
Massaging his temples like that would actually help, Harry headed for the kitchen with single-minded purpose, grateful when he discovered that Eggsy had made bacon buttys, salad, and a bowl of Eton mess for dessert. All easy to eat, and the buttys were perfect after a quick heat up following the directions Eggsy had left for him.
He'd just finished adding dressing to his salad when he sensed that he wouldn't be alone for long, Eggsy appearing in the doorway moments later wearing nothing but a worn white undershirt and boxers.
"Hey. Rough day?"
"Tiresome would be the better word for it." It took a moment, but Harry was too well trained to let himself look and think what he had no business thinking as he watched Eggsy swipe his fingers through his hair. "How was Daisy today?"
"My little shadow all morning, but she seemed ta settle back into our routine once she realized we was stickin ta home today." Wandering in Eggsy headed for the fridge. "Ya don't have a drink there, what cha want then?"
"Oh. Thank you. Just water suits me, actually." Liquor sounded better, but Harry knew the water was the better choice. Unfortunately.
As if he knew exactly what Harry was thinking Eggsy sent him a knowing look over his shoulder before retrieving the water pitcher and walking over to grab a glass from the cabinet, his bare feet making little sound on the tiled flooring.
"Take the food in ta the dining room. I'll bring the water and the mess for ya."
"All right. Thank you. It looks delicious, by the way."
"Thanks."
Since he did only have two hands Harry couldn't argue that he didn't need the help as he picked up his first course and headed for the dining room, Eggsy following right after him.
Setting his plates down Harry took his seat, thanking Eggsy again when the boy set the bowl and glass down for him before walking over to take his usual seat, joining him while he ate, it seemed.
"No problem." Leaning forward with his elbows on the table, Eggsy rested his chin on his hands. "So was it regular work that's worn ya out, or the other stuff?"
In the interest of not having to lie to Eggy too much, Harry had told him that he was a businessman who, due to his magical nature, military connections, and standing within British society, occasionally did outside work that involved some dangerous magical elements. Like the vampire Eggsy had met during his visit to the shop. He hadn't explained Kingsman, his previous and current role as its leader, or what they all did. Just the broadest of strokes since he'd decided that that was in his best interests least the boy jump to his own conclusions.
"A lovely mixture of both, I'm afraid. I'm trying to forget the paperwork waiting for me after my swim."
"Swim? In the saltwater pool ya mentioned down in the basement?"
Since his mouth was full at the moment Harry nodded.
He hadn't bothered to show Eggsy said pool during his tour of the house since it wasn't something the boy or Daisy were ever going to use. He kept the water too cold for them to enjoy it, and frankly he didn't want his ward anywhere near a pool of any kind until he'd seen for himself that she was a capable swimmer. And that was above and beyond the fact that it was his sanctuary in this city, the place where he could be himself. His true self, depending on who you were talking to.
The look on the boy's face, well Harry could see exactly what Eggsy wanted to ask him, but was struggling not to. Even those in the magical community were fascinated by his non-human lineage and form. No surprising that the boy would be curious, and it wasn't like he was ashamed or embarrassed by his other half. And as Daisy was in bed and therefore not about to ask to come, now would be a good time to appease the boy's curiosity, Harry supposed.
"If you'll wait up here about five minutes after I go down you can join me for a bit."
Eggsy's face lit up with delight. "Really? Ya don't mind? I've always wanted ta see a selkie. I mean…ya know what I mean."
"I do."
"Cheers."
Lapsing into comfortable silence once more, Harry wasn't the least bit surprised when Eggsy could only manage to stay quiet for a few minutes. Not that he minded.
"So is it weird livin with us? I ain't never lived on me own, so I don't know what it's like. Didn't ya ever get lonely? Or are Daisy and I crampin your style? Ya can bring someone home, ya know. Ya ain't gonna traumatize us or nothin. Daisy can just sleep with me."
"It wasn't noticeably lonely, no. Or at least not most of the time." One got used to such things. "And as for cramping my style, well thank you, but I assure you there was no revolving door of…guests coming through that front door even before the two of you moved in. And I'm not looking at the moment either."
"Why not?"
"I'm married to my work and have you two now. And while I enjoy sex as much as the next person, I'm not a twenty three year old man, either. I can do without."
Eggsy lips curved in amusement. "Just sayin. Ya could have your pick, so I don't know why ya ain't takin advantage of that."
"Thank you. It's kind of you to say so."
"Just the truth. I know plenty of blokes my age who'd give their right nut ta be half as fit as ya."
"You as well, since you appear to have maintained at least some of your Marines training." It was only right to return the compliments with one of his own, after all. It wasn't like he was paying an attention to the fact that the beyond thin undershirt Eggsy was wearing did nothing to disguise the boy's muscle definitions. Or the darker skin tone that indicated where the boy's ni-
Bugger.
Thankfully Eggsy was explaining that he'd managed to make up for his lack of gym time with parkour, which he could do anywhere, and the boy's enthusiasm for the activity carried them through the rest of his dinner as the boy told him about some of his favorite spots and moves.
Which was somewhat entertaining right up until he started thinking about how easily the boy could break his neck doing these things.
Double bugger.
)
After dinner was finished and he'd helped Eggsy carry everything back to the kitchen to be washed, Harry let himself be shooed out so that he could change and then head down to the basement, Eggsy promising to wait five minutes before joining him. A promise Harry didn't really need, since it wasn't like it would be a big deal if the boy were to sneak a peek while he was removing his clothes again, it was just…he'd rather not be bare arsed naked in front of Eggsy unless absolutely necessary. That would just be…more than a tad awkward.
After changing, and then coming back downstairs, Harry entered the code that opened the door leading down to his pool, deliberately leaving it slightly open for Eggsy. Turning on the lights he headed down the short flight of stairs, his eyelashes lowering a little in pleasure as the scent of salt water reached his nose. His pool was a poor substitute for the ocean, that went without saying, but the sight of the water, the rocks that had been used to give his pool a more natural look, had him smiling in pleasure as he walked over to the bench with hooks above it that were meant to hold his clothing for him.
Stripping quickly and efficiently once more, Harry stored everything away and then walked over to the pool while lifting his left hand to alter the spell that had placed on his Kingsman ring. Removing it would have allowed him to return to his other form in a flash as well, but he preferred not to leave something so tied to him magically lying around, especially when it somehow stayed with him in selkie form even though no one had ever been able to explain how that worked to his understanding.
Either way he shifted as he dove into the water, the cold hitting Harry like a fist to the gut for a moment and then his fur was there to shield him so that it was nothing but refreshing as he lost himself in the pleasure of swimming around his pool and simply being without any human worries.
It was during one of his laps around the pool, while swimming relatively close to the surface, that Harry saw that Eggsy had come down at some point and was now sitting cross-legged at the pool's end, watching him. He didn't really have any sense of time when he was in this form, especially when he wasn't on a tight schedule, so turning his head to check the clock on the far wall Harry blinked to see that he'd been swimming for a little over half an hour. Huh. And Eggsy hadn't interrupted him, which Harry appreciated and inspired him to be more playful than he would have normally have been, ducking down to do some underwater acrobatics, smiling into at the sound of clapping he could hear over the water.
Returning to his regular swimming after a couple of minutes of that, he wasn't a performer, after all, Harry was too in tune with the water not to know when a pair of legs slid into it, especially when the action was followed by some cursing that echoed quite loudly in the otherwise quiet space.
Flipping around in the water to face that direction again, Harry stared at the limbs and then swam over to Eggsy, surfacing so that he was right in front of the boy, who was grinning down at him.
"Ya weren't kiddin bout the water being fucking freezing. Feel like I'm back trainin for the Marines." A pause, and then Eggsy gave him a hopeful look. "Can I…I ain't never touched a seal before."
He wasn't a pet to be stroked and coddled, but Harry nodded his head anyway, not moving away as Eggsy leaned forward to very gently stroke a hand over his head.
It did feel nice to be stroked, especially with all the compliments Eggsy paid him as the boy commented on his fur, face, and coloring. He was quite the handsome seal, if Harry did say so himself, and it was nice to have it noted.
How long he would have stayed there, being petted, was a question that would go unanswered though, as it was interrupted by the sound of whimpers and then crying.
"Shit."
Twisting around Eggsy scooped up the baby monitor he'd brought down with him, it seemed, just as Daisy started to call out for her brother in between heaving sobs.
Not even thinking about what he was doing, moving completely on instinct, Harry placed his front flippers on the edge of the pool and then pushed down as he surged forward, shifting as he did so to crouch beside Eggsy while the boy used the two way nature of the monitor to ask his sister what was wrong.
It was garbled, and sobbed out, but Daisy managed to choke out the fact that she'd wetted the bed.
Eggsy winced, but his voice remained calm and soothing. "It's okay, Luv. No worries. I'm on my way, Flower. Just stay put, all right, and we'll have you cleaned up in no time."
Not waiting for an answer Eggsy turned to face him, whatever the boy had been about to say dying in Eggsy's throat as those bright green eyes widened as they traveled over Harry from head to toe.
Belatedly cluing Harry into the fact that he was as naked as the day he was born.
Awkward silence as both of them froze, not sure what to say or do.
Thankfully Daisy continued to call for Eggsy to come over the monitor, which snapped Eggsy attention back to the situation on hand. The boy hastily stood up and almost slipping in the process, Harry bracing to grab him least he fall and bash his head on the rocks. But the boy caught himself in time, Eggsy sending him a look of gratitude mixed with utter mortification.
"I…ah…gotta go. Enjoy the rest of your swim!"
"Walk carefully!" Harry called out after him as Eggsy basically ran towards the staircase, Harry's excellent hearing meaning that he heard the sound of a step taken the wrong way, though the lack of crashing that followed indicated that Eggsy had again caught himself.
Rising to his feet with a sigh, Harry considered returning to the water for a moment, but rejected the idea just as quickly as pointless.
Shaking his head over life in general Harry walked over to the small shower he'd had put in to wash away the salt water so that it didn't dry his human body out, rinsing off quickly as he very pointedly refused to think about the fact that Eggsy had seen him naked and that there had definitely been male approval in Eggsy's eyes before the boy had realized what he was doing.
No. He wasn't thinking about that at all.
Toweling off just as quickly Harry got dressed and then headed for the staircase as well, turning off the lights after him and insuring that the door leading down to the basement was secured before walking over to retrieve his briefcase and laptop bag from where he'd left them.
All set to return his nose to the grindstone Harry headed up to the second floor, and then hesitated there as he looked in the direction of Daisy's room. Eggsy was sure to have everything well in hand, and Harry didn't imagine his presence would be welcomed given the child's emotional state at the moment, but still…he should check in, shouldn't he, to make sure that he wasn't needed?
Stupid protective, newly growing parental instincts.
Sighing again, Harry set his stuff down against the wall and headed for Daisy's room, poking his head inside to find it empty and Daisy's bedding piled up beside the stripped bed.
Eggsy must be cleaning her up in the bathroom, Harry surmised after a quick look around.
Wandering further into the room Harry gave a moment's thought to collecting the soiled bedding and taking it down to be washed…only he had no idea how to use his washing machine. Anything that didn't need to go to the drycleaner was handled by his housekeeper. And while in theory he imagined he could look it up on his phone…he also didn't want to risk making a huge mess in there that he really didn't have time to clean up either.
But he could make the bed up for Eggsy, Harry told himself, having gone through the room on his own to learn where everything was being kept previously. And that would save Eggsy time and allow him to contribute in some way so that he didn't have to feel guilty about leaving the rest of it in more capable hands.
Walking over to her closet Harry had just pulled out a new bed mat thingie when Eggsy came back into the room with a pajama clad Daisy in his arms, the girl's swollen red eyes widening at the sight of him.
And that was definitely fear in them as she stared at him in growing horror.
She thought he'd lash out at her, either verbally or physically. Or both, come to that.
Understanding, and hating his former step brother with every breath in his body, Harry walked over to the two of them and very deliberately held her gaze the whole time.
"Daisy. I'm not mad. It's all all right. I promise." Reaching out Harry very carefully stroked a hand over her curls while she continued to stare at him with confusion and wary hope. "No more tears, now. Everything's all right. Eggsy and I will have your bed all better in no time, and then back to sleep for you, as it's very late."
A moment to consider. "Actually, Eggsy, why don't you take the bedding down, as well as her to heat up Mr. Fox to help her sleep? I'll sort out the bedding."
His expression soft and bemused, Eggsy nodded his head, and agreed that that was a good idea.
