Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original ideas and characters. Thank for reading!

Finding Some Poise

Breakfast was delicious, of course, and no problems arose save for the fact that both of he and Eggsy had to remind Daisy to slow down a little when it came to her pancake consumption. The girl was gobbling her breakfast down like it was her last meal. Which was certainly not the case since Eggsy had already stated that there was more batter in the kitchen if any of them wanted another, not that she needed it.

Tempting, very tempting for him, but Harry was determined to resist at the moment. He was willing to get chubby on Eggsy's food, that was most likely unavoidable, but he'd concluded the night before that he would restrain himself from becoming fat. A happy medium, as it were.

And speaking of being in shape... "What time are you and Daisy leaving for yoga?"

"Bout nine thirty, I figure. Just in case traffic's bad or somethin. We should be done by eleven, home half an hour after that give or take a bit. Is that okay for lunch? We could bring takeaway back with us, if ya want."

Mulling that over Harry glanced in Daisy's direction, than back at Eggsy's. "Given that it's for children I wouldn't imagine you're going to work up much of a sweat, yes?"

"I wouldn't think so. Least not on the first day. But Jasper said there's a unisex change room for families ta change in with their little ones, with a sign sayin men and women can use it and everythin. So I'll take a change of clothes for the both of us, just in case."

"Excellent. Then what would you think about me coming along with you two and dropping you off? I'll putter around at the shops and such for an hour, pick you both up, and then we can go out to lunch somewhere. That way you can take a break from feeding us, my treat."

"I don't mind. I like cooking for you." Eggsy flushed a little. "But that would be brill too. But it would have to be someplace child friendly. The both of us wouldn't know what to do with ourselves, in a real posh joint."

"You'd do just fine. But I'll look into it, make sure it will suit."

"All right then. Cheers. Sounds good ta me."

"Excellent." Pleased, especially since this would give him an excuse to stop by the place to check things out for himself, Harry turned his attention back to taking another bite of his pancakes before stating that taking Eggsy and Daisy out was the least he could do for exposing them to Addison, if nothing else.

"Aw, that's just Fire Gifted for ya. They tend to be a quick tempered, prickly bunch. Specially the older they get."

"Isn't that the truth. And it's getting older that's got him in such a foul mood lately. You'd think next week was his execution, not his birthday."

"His birthday?"

"Indeed. And he gets more cranky about it every bloody year. The way he conducts himself, you'd think he'd be more appreciative, that he keeps living to have another one."

Laughing, Eggsy asked if Addison had a habit of using the fire from his candles to set things on fire.

"Oh I doubt very much anyone has been foolish enough to try and give him a cake with candles in a very long time. Or even a cake for that matter. He's not at all close to his family, so I imagine he'll spend his birthday either sulking at home or at the firing range. Or working on his idea of explosive elves on a shelf. He seemed very keen on the idea."

"Wot? No cake at all? No presents or nothin?" Eggsy looked horrified at the idea. "Ain't you lot gonna do somethin at the office? Like a cake at least. He's got one of the rings, and ya said that meant he was a senior member of Kingsman. Not that secretaries and such don't deserve cake too."

"Oh, well…actually this is the first birthday I've had to deal with since I took over. And King, the man I took over for, well I doubt very much he even remembered when our birthdays were. Merlin's father was before him and he did always arrange for a cake at the meeting closest to someone's birthday, but Ian…well he'd take any excuse to eat cake, really. His wife was constantly trying to curb his sweet tooth at home, you see. We even celebrated holidays from other parts of the world, just so he had an excuse for her. Merlin's even worse."

"He had the right idea though. Happier workers are more productive and all that jazz. And it ain't like you can argue that Addison needs sweetening up a bit."

"No. I can't argue with that."

"I could make him a cake, so it don't cost a hardly anything."

"Cake?" Daisy asked hopefully, drawing their attention back to her syrup covered face. "Make cake?"

"Oi, look at you." Laughing, Eggsy reached for her napkin and started applying it to her face while telling her that maybe they'd make a cake next week.

"I wuv cake." Daisy informed Harry, once Eggsy had given up on trying to remove the sticky syrup from around her mouth, announcing that he needed a rag and water for that.

"Might as well let her finish eating before you clean her up. She'll only get more on her. And I very much like cake as well, Daisy."

That got him a smile.

"And I'll tell you what, Eggsy. I'll see about arranging a tea or something next weekend for Addison if he's willing to show up for it. See if I can't corral a few others into coming as well. Merlin would come just for the cake, naturally."

"Naturally." Eggsy agreed with a grin.

"Cake?"

Eggsy shook his head at his sister. "I'd say finish your breakfast stead of thinkin bout cake, but you've all but licked the plate clean, now haven't ye? Have ya finished up all your juice?"

Tipping her juice cup upside down Daisy shook it, sending what little juice was in her cup dribbling out and thankfully onto her plate. "All gone."

Laughing, Harry joined Eggsy in shaking his head over Daisy's innocent look as she asked for more pancakes.

)

After breakfast Harry headed upstairs to get dressed for the day, heading for the closet to look over his choices. Then frowned over them as it occurred to Harry that it had been quite some time since he'd last shopped for casual clothing Probably because he spent so little time out of suits unless he was lounging about at home, in which case he didn't give a shit what he looked like. Or how out of date and…old he looked in them. Dear God but he still had that shirt? It was older than Eggsy.

But it was so comfortable…

Shaking his head at that thought, Harry started rearranging things a little, pausing when he noted two shirts that had been placed in the part of his closet where he stuck rarely used shirts that he forgot he owned a lot of the time. These two shirts though…why had he kept them?

Bringing them out Harry held them up by their hooks, one in each hand, and tried to remember. He had a bad feeling they'd been meant to encourage him to lose some weight so that they'd fit again. But no…

The last time the shirts had fit him he'd just come out of a several week long coma, and had lost weight and muscle tone as a result. These two shirts had been purchased at that time, and had fit, then, but he'd gained it all back to his present fighting form rather quickly and…and had meant to pass them along to his cousin Christopher when next he saw him. Of course then Christopher had had to go and move to Australia before he'd had a chance to give them to him, and mailing them had seemed rather pointless, especially since he didn't like Christopher enough to go to the trouble.

They were hardly worn, Harry mused as he continued to study them. He hadn't gone out much until he'd been healthier and able to wear his former clothes without looking too ridiculous in them.

The blue would look good on Eggsy.

Both would be on the big side, definitely not fitted at all, but they wouldn't look badly on Eggsy either. Probably. And there was no harm in offering them to the boy, right?

Setting the shirts aside for the moment, he'd come back to them, Harry concentrated on picking out something to actually wear for the day, settling on just a simple white dress shirt and black trousers. Good enough, hopefully. And he could do some shopping to kill time while he waited for the yoga lesson to be over.

Satisfied with his look and planned course of action Harry grabbed the shirts again, draped them over one arm, and then headed out of his bedroom and down to Eggsy's. There he paused as he considered letting himself into the boy's room and leaving them on the bed, then decided that that could be seen as him invading Eggsy's privacy. Which he didn't want to do without a better reason. A man's bedroom should be his sanctuary, after all.

So he kept going to Daisy's room, knocking on the door since it was closed.

"Come in!"

Opening the door Harry looked in and then down, Daisy now dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, her face scrubbed clean of syrup. He'd interrupted her putting on her socks herself while Eggsy was crouched down beside her to brush out her hair.

"Sorry to interrupt."

"No probs." Eggsy twisted to check the time on Daisy's clock before turning back to give Harry a questioning look.

"Ah…these shirts. Were in my closet. A while back they actually fit, if you can believe it. But they aren't likely to ever fit again unless I end up in another long term coma, so I was thinking-"

"A fucking coma? You was in one?" Eggsy straightened in a blur, hurrying over to look Harry over like he expected Harry to slip into another one at any second.

"Bodies do tend to revolt against you when you blow them up. I'm fine, Eggsy. I promise." Hating to see the worry on the boy's face Harry reached out stroke his hand over Eggsy's hair, instinctively needing to soothe.

And then realizing what he'd done Harry dropped his hand away just as quickly. "Apologies. I…I am fine, and I was wondering if you might want the shirts. To wear yourself, or if you know of someone who would want them. Otherwise I'll just donate them. They've hardly been worn."

Eggsy's gaze shifting down to the shirts in question, Harry grabbed them by their hooks again and held them up for Eggsy's inspection.

Fingering the blue one's sleeve, the other white, Eggsy stared at them as he stated that he'd try them on, see if they fit well enough.

"Excellent." Handing them over, and feeling incredibly awkward and not entirely sure why, Harry turned his attention to Daisy, who was sitting patiently on the floor still with her little trainers now in place, the laces undone. Ah, thank heavens. Something he could do. "Would you like me to tie your laces for you, Daisy?"

Blinking in surprise Daisy looked from her shoes to him and then back again, seeming to have to mull the question over for a minute before slowly nodding her head.

"I can do it."

"I've got it. Go ahead and put the shirts away. This at least I have plenty of experience doing."

"All right."

Walking over Harry stooped down in front of his ward, very much aware of Eggsy leaving the room before he turned his sole attention to the incredibly small yellow laces in front of him. It was a wonder laces were made so small. But he'd bloody well defused his share of bombs, and had been tying his own shoe laces for sodding decades. This he could manage.

And he did, though he had to do the right one over just because the asymmetrical look of it offended his pride and sensibilities.

But then they were done, Harry asking her if they were too tight.

Daisy wiggled her feet testing. "They's okay. Thank you."

"You're very welcome."

Straightening up a little Harry offered her his hands, pulling her up to her feet when she took them. "There you are. All ready to go."

Nodding her head Daisy slipped her hands out of his and ran over to her bed where Mr. Fox had been deposited at some point. Hugging him against her chest Daisy walked back over to him, and after a moment's contemplation lifted her free hand to slide it into his again.

Clearing his throat Harry suggested they go and locate Eggsy, Daisy all in favor of the idea.

)

As planned Harry dropped the two of them off at Jasper's place of business, confirming the time he should come by to pick them up before heading off on his own. He'd been in this part of the city before, of course, but it had been a while since he'd done more than just pass through on his way somewhere else. There were a couple new shops to visit, as well as an Italian place that he confirmed was not only still there, but had a child's menu as well. The spaghetti was excellent, as he recalled, as was their garlic bread. Both of which he looked forward to sampling again as he made a reservation for them later.

After that he continued to putter around, stopping at a shop that sold knitting as there was a rather lovely jumper just his size in the window. Eye catching enough that he glanced in, a smile curving Harry's lips as he realized that at some point the shop had decided to use half their floor space to sell already knitted and completed items. So perhaps the jumper was more than just for display. Brilliant.

Wandering in to find out, Harry found himself leaving again with not only the jumper in question, but two others as well. And he'd found a knitted, lavender blue newsie cap with a cartoon fox on it for Daisy, and a beanie for Eggsy, as he didn't want to leave the boy out. The shirts really wouldn't count, after all, as they were just hand me downs.

Stowing the bags in the boot of the car, it was instinct to want his hands free whenever possible, Harry ended up spending the rest of his time window-shopping a little more, and then giving directions to some tourists visiting from Beijing. Always good to keep one's Mandarin up to snuff.

He arrived back at the converted warehouse Jasper had purchased for his business in good time, with thirteen minutes to spare according to a glance at his watch. The idea of waiting in the car didn't suit his mood or plans though, so Harry got out and headed in, telling himself it was just to check out the pricing for the family yoga Eggsy and Daisy were attended in case they wanted to take it up regularly.

A little dearer than he expected, as it turned out, but not over what he was willing to pay provided that it was standard rate. And the lovely young woman behind the counter was also happy to give him directions as to where he needed to go to find the correct yoga studio, and so off he went.

Looking around Harry approved of what Jasper had built here, though not enough to blindly sign off on the man being worth of Eggsy. And while all the information Merlin had dug up on the man suggested he had no cause for concern, and should actually, possibly, be encouraging things if Eggsy proved interested…but Harry was a man who knew to rely on his gut more. And right now his gut wasn't onboard with the idea.

Though as Harry found out shortly thereafter, Jasper might be the least of his worries.

He found the right room without trouble, the huge doorway allowing him an excellent view of the class without having to so much as step a foot inside. And for the first few minutes Harry's gaze stayed squarely on Eggsy and Daisy as he tried to figure out this whole puppy thing they were supposed to be doing, though Eggsy had no problem holding the pose and then jumping over the 'puppy', which was actually a block of some sort. Daisy wasn't getting it, but seemed determined to give it a go. The majority of the children near the girl's age were struggling as well, so Harry wasn't about to question her coordination just yet.

It was when he started to look around that Harry noticed that a number of the women in the room, there were only two other men in the room save for Eggsy and Jasper, were all giving his boy the attention they should have been giving the instructor who was talking them through the exercises. In fact, the one woman directly behind Eggsy seemed quite determined to memorize the arse Eggsy currently had up in the air and on display for the woman's obvious pleasure.

The look the instructor sent that woman's way made it clear Harry wasn't just imagining things either.

"All right then, everyone. Good job. Now everyone back into candle pose for some nice breathing and centering, and then we'll call it a day."

Candle pose looked a lot like praying to Harry, but Daisy was beaming as she did it, so she must like this one.

The lot of them practiced breathing correctly for a couple minutes, and then that was it, class dismissed.

And Harry was not the least surprised that as soon as they were free to, many of the mothers abandoned their young to circle around Eggsy like he was that year's designer must have, on sale at a ridiculously low price. With only one left.

Glaring at Jasper, who was standing off to the side with an amused look on his face, Harry cursed the man for being too much of a coward to protect Eggsy from the ravenous hordes, especially since he'd gotten the boy into this situation in the first place.

It was up to him to save Eggsy now.