Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations I put all characters in, poor bastards. Thanks so much for reading, please let me know what you think!
Feeling The Magic
By the time dinner had come to a close Merlin had proposed to Eggsy three times. He probably would have continued to offer Eggsy and Daisy whatever their hearts desired if only they'd come to live with him if Harry hadn't threatened to shoot him. Twice. Though it did warm Harry's heart that not only Eggsy, but Daisy was stoic in their insistence that they would never leave him. Even though Daisy had appeared a bit tempted by Merlin's promise to give her a pony and a fox themed bedroom with regular visits to the zoo to see real ones.
At least the man had the sense to realize offering her one as a pet would not end well.
Though given the way Eggsy's food seemed to turn the Scotsman's brains to mush Harry wasn't entirely sure the man wouldn't have added that promise to the mix if it meant Eggsy would live and cook for him for the rest of the Scot's increasingly short life.
There was also the possibility that Addison was plotting how to get Eggsy too, but Harry was fairly confident that the fear of being saddled with a small child scared the man enough that Addison would probably stick to just dropping by for dinner occasionally. He could live with that.
After dinner Eggsy disappeared into the kitchen and then came back with two cloth sacks, one for each of the men, filled with leftovers and some snacks he'd prepared especially for them.
"Bless you, Lad." And so saying Merlin leaned down and...and kissed Eggsy on the forehead.
What the fuck?!
"You're an idiot." Addison informed Merlin, echoing Harry's thoughts. "And thank you for this, Eggsy."
"You're welcome."
"No kissin Eggsy, Mr. Merwin. Only Unca Harry can." Hands on her hips, Daisy gave Merlin a dark look that was nonetheless adorable.
"As you wish, Daisy. Can I get a kiss goodbye from you instead, then?"
Daisy gave him a rather 'lady of the manor' look before nodding, toddling over to give Merlin's cheek a kiss once he bent down far enough for Daisy to reach him.
Addison settled for a quick handshake with Daisy, who was amused by the adult gesture and giggled her way through it.
Harry shook Addison's hand goodbye. Then did his level best to crush Merlin's in his when they shook hands afterwards. And while it hurt his already battered hand Harry was pleased that he came out the victor. Or at least his didn't hurt badly enough that he let the ache show. The way Merlin did as he subtly flexed his now hopefully very sore fingers.
"Night, Harry." Smirking, the bastard, Merlin inclined his head and then out the door he went with Addison, Harry ignoring the temptation to slam the door behind his 'friend'.
Thought it was a near thing.
"You can tell the two of ya have been mates for forever."
Turning his head to see Eggsy was smirking at him too, Harry felt he was absolutely justified in stating that he needed better friends.
"I's your friend, Unca Harry." Daisy reassured him, sliding her little hand into his, leaning against his side comfortably.
"Thank you, Sweetheart. That makes me very happy."
"And Eggsy too."
"And me too." Eggsy agreed. "Now it's time to head up and get ya ready for story time and bed."
"No!" Daisy went from smiling sweetly to looking mutinous in a heartbeat. "Me stay with Unca Harry!"
"Now, Daisy..." Harry began.
"NO!"
"Dais, Luv, ya know that ya can't-"
"NO!"
Listening to Eggsy try to reason with Daisy, and the girl wasn't having any of it, Harry tried to come up with a solution that would give them all what they wanted. As it was Daisy was half asleep on her feet already, sheer stubbornness keeping her awake given that she'd looked tired to begin with earlier, on top of her very full at the moment belly. Hmmm.
Harry waited for a lull in the back and forth between the siblings before speaking up. "How about this instead then. Why don't we watch a bit of your dragon movie before bed instead of a story, Daisy?"'
"Toofless?"
"Yes, with Toothless."
While Daisy considered his offer Eggsy spoke in a quiet voice meant only for Harry's ears. "Ya can't spoil her, Harry."
"She'll be out in five minutes or less." Harry murmured back.
"Point."
"We all watch together?"
Harry and Eggsy both nodded in agreement.
"Ogay."
So they all left the front hallway to settle into the family room together on the couch, Daisy insisting on sitting in Harry's lap too. Which he didn't mind at all as Eggsy went onto Netflix to find the movie in question and bring it up. And so they settled in to watch the village of Burk be set alit by dragons, Daisy fast asleep in Harry's lap before Toothless had a chance to make his appearance.
"Wanna keep watchin or...well you probably got stuff ta do, right?"
"Nothing that can't wait until tomorrow. I'll take something before bed to help with the jet lag and the time difference. I'd like to at least see Toothless before turning in." If Eggsy owned a hoodie like Daisy's than he presumed the boy was a fan and therefore would want to watch the rest. Plus he had to admit that the teenage protagonist intrigued him.
"Ya sure?"
"Of course. Unless you want to go and read your book. I'd understand completely." Be disappointed, yes, but understand. It would be foolish to assume Eggsy had missed his presence as much as he'd-
"Nah. I'd rather hang out with you than-we're missin the movie." And so saying, with a definite reddish tinge to his cheeks, Eggsy turned his attention back to the TV screen.
It took Harry a minute or two to do the same.
So they kept watching the movie in companionable, if slightly awkward silence for the first ten minutes or so. And the story did continue to entertain as Harry found out that Toothless the Dragon had a lot in common with household cats. And that Hiccup was equally adorable. The question of whether the boy had it in him to kill a dragon in the arena to win his people's approval went unanswered though as a warm weight suddenly pressed up against his side. The side Eggsy had been sitting on.
Turning his head slowly to the left Harry stared at Eggsy's slumped form, the boy's hat sitting eschew on his head now that he was leaning against Harry's side for support, hiding his face from him. But Eggsy was fast asleep judging from the boy's slow, even breathing.
Huh. Well this was...unexpected.
How long he just sat there, every one of his senses focused solely on Eggsy, Harry wasn't entirely sure. A no doubt embarrassing amount of time to be sure. But finally Harry did realize that actions needed to taken, especially since his back wasn't up to spending the rest of the night sitting on the couch this way. Lowering as that was to admit.
Lifting Daisy from his lap and depositing her at the far end of the couch, Harry was then able to get up and with some Twister level twisting was able to lower Eggsy down gently and then lift his legs up so that he was curled up on the couch somewhat comfortably.
Harry missed the boy's weight immediately.
"I'm an idiot."
Shaking his head at himself Harry figured he would start with the smaller load and retrieving Daisy picked her up into his arms and headed for the staircase and the second floor.
Since he knew for a fact that Daisy's room was still unusable Harry took her straight to Eggsy's room, pulling the covers back to deposit her under them. Tucking her in well Harry took a moment to make sure she was still fast asleep before rounding the bed to pull back the other side in anticipation of her brother's arrival. Provided he could pull that off, of course.
Heading back downstairs Harry mentally debated how to best go about getting Eggsy to his bed without waking the boy up or causing himself physical injury. As much as he'd like to think he could carry Eggsy Harry was also well aware that the younger man had been putting on weight since he'd come to live with him and he was fairly sure that should he try to lift Eggsy he could do it...but they wouldn't get very far.
Getting old sucked.
The obvious alternative was to use magic. Eggsy's magic, to be specific. While Harry's Water Gift certainly came in handy in a multitude of situations, this was not one of them. Whereas Eggsy had the gift of Air, which was very much suited for this task. And while waking Eggsy up and teaching him how to bolster his Gift through his connection to Harry would completely defeat the purpose...there was a chance that their magical ties to each other would allow Harry to utilize Eggsy's Gift without Eggsy having to be awake for it. Of course having never been magically tied to someone before Harry had no idea if it would work or not. He'd just read and heard about others that in tune with each other.
But he was willing to give it the old college try, as they said.
In Kingsman they were taught how to share their magic with others, working as a team to take down an opponent. It wasn't difficult when you were working with someone who worked the same elemental gift as you, but otherwise...well there was good reason to practice beforehand. Especially since it was instinctive not to want others in control of something that was such a big part of one's self.
Their elements could work well together if handled properly, and their magic had shown itself to be perfectly in synch with each other's when Chloe had brought them to the surface. Of course with Eggsy unconscious the boy's magic would normally be more shielded and resistant to being manipulated without the boy's permission...nevermind.
"Here goes."
Raising a hand in Eggsy's direction, palm out, Harry focused on calling Eggsy's magic to him, the response he got nearly bringing him to his knees.
It was like he'd been stuffed in an airless room for hours and just been let outside into fresh summer air. A breeze was suddenly swirling around him like-like a bunch of cats winding through his legs while rubbing up against him in affection. There wasn't a sense of power or force to the air as it swirled around him. It didn't even send anything around him flying, so focused was it on him. Instead it was soft and gentle and somehow...loving. He could taste Eggsy's magic in his mouth and it was filled with joy and happiness and was eager to do his bidding. Was his to commend. He only had to ask and it would obey.
Fuck
Moaning low in his throat, he couldn't muffle it in time, Harry's lashes fluttered closed as he let himself bask in the headiness of it for a moment. The boost the connection gave to his own magical levels was intoxicating enough, but this was Eggsy's magic and to find it so receptive and perfect for him...well it did things to him. Made him want and need and think the unthinkable.
It took longer than it should have for him to rein himself in, but Harry managed it with great regret even though the link was still there with Eggsy's Gift clinging possessively to his body and ruffling his clothes and hair. And forcing himself to draw on that magic properly Harry sent it back in the direction of its original master, the air doing his bidding like the Air Gift was his originally.
Without a hitch the wind reached Eggsy and lifted him up and into the air, Eggsy's hat hitting the floor but not Eggsy as the breeze brought him over to Harry who had dropped his arms so that they were pressed up against his sides, bent at the elbow with his palms now facing upward.
With the faintest of thuds Eggsy hit his chest, Harry carefully switching the direction of the magic so that it was coming from his palms to keep Eggsy floating about an inch above his hands. That way if the magic gave out or something else went wrong he'd be in a position to catch Eggsy on the way down.
Which he almost did, as within seconds of coming into contact with Harry's chest Eggsy curved his body closer while wrapping his arms around Harry's neck, murmuring his name as he nuzzled in.
But Harry caught himself just in time, the magic wavering only for a moment before training thankfully kicked in. Then carefully, like he was holding the most breakable and priceless of treasures, Harry used the magic to carry Eggsy out of the room and up to his bed. Eggsy's bed. Not his bed. Must not put Eggsy in his bed. Despite the fact that that was where Eggsy had slept the night before. In his bed.
Fuck.
Thank God for the sleeping potion waiting for him in his room.
)
Between the potion and the time differences Harry slept in the next day, which was just fine with him. Not so fine with Daisy, it seemed, as Eggsy would later inform him that the girl made numerous trips up the stairs to check on him throughout the morning. She might also have tried to shake him awake a few times before Eggsy caught her and made her stop. Either way Harry woke up feeling quite refreshed and aware, which was a good thing since he also awoke to find Daisy staring at him like she was a scientist and he something in a microscope she was studying.
"You was sleepin forever!" Daisy informed him disgruntledly. "I told Eggsy ta kiss ya, but he said no."
"I..." Oh, right. Sleeping Beauty. Huh. Now there was an interesting thought. "Well it's very ungentlemanly to kiss someone when they aren't awake to give permission, Daisy." Permission he would have quite happily given.
As if on cue Harry's prince stuck his head through the doorway with a scowl on his face, hissing Daisy's name or at least starting to before realizing that Harry was awake. "Shit. Sorry."
Sitting up in bed Harry self-consciously finger combed his bedhead down while stating that it was quite all right.
"Unca Harry's awake now." Daisy informed Eggsy unnecessarily.
"I see that. And you wasn't ta wake im up, remember?"
The way Daisy's eyes darted around to look everywhere but at them made it clear that yes, she did remember. But wasn't about to admit it.
"Right. Back downstairs with ya. Or else."
A hopefully look was aimed in his direction, but well aware that he'd land himself firmly in Eggsy's bad books as well, on top of discipline being important, Harry indicated the door with a jerk of his chin. Though he gave her a smile so she'd know he wasn't mad at her.
Wearing a very pronounced pout Daisy dragged her feet the entire time as she made her way over to the door Eggsy was now holding open, finger pointed in the direction of the staircase. Once she was standing in front of her brother Daisy gave him a big-eyed look that was obviously meant to sway him, but Eggsy held firm and with a sigh Daisy disappeared from sight.
"Sorry bout that, Harry. She's right slippery when she tries. Get's it from me." Eggsy added with a mischievous, adorable grin.
"No doubt. And don't worry, it's time for me to get up anyway." A glance at his clock confirmed that before he turned his attention back to Eggsy. "Belated good morning."
"And ta you. Now mind tellin me what you was thinkin, carryin me ta bed? Was you tryin ta put your back out?"
"Ah." All right, Eggsy was right about that. But it still stung the ego. Though Eggsy also thought he had the strength to carry someone of Eggsy's size and weight that far without waking him up, which was sort of flattering. And not the point. "Actually I borrowed some of your Air Gift to help me get you upstairs. My back is fine, I promise."
Eggsy's brows furrowed in confusion as he walked over to him. "Borrowed my gift?"
Having thrown off his covers as he spoke and stood, Harry froze like a deer in headlights as it occurred to him, hours too late, that just as you shouldn't kiss someone you weren't romantically or at least sexually involved with while they were unconscious, you also NEVER used someone's magic without their prior permission. And he'd never...
"I'm so sorry. So very...it didn't even occur to me. In Kingsman it's understood that we can borrow each other's gifts if we need it, but that doesn't in any way excuse me for channeling your power without your permission. That it didn't even occur to me..." Harry trailed off, not sure how to begin to express his remorse over his conceit and transgression. That he'd done it for Eggsy's benefit in no way excused him and...and... "I can't believe that I-"
Eggsy placing a finger across his lips shut Harry up immediately.
"It's fine, Harry. Ya used my gift ta what, take some of my weight so ya could get me upstairs?"
Harry nodded.
"Then that's sick and I'm sorry I missed it. Don't kick yourself over it. Ya can use my magic any time ya want, just like if I was in Kingsman with ya. It's all good, okay?"
"I still shouldn't have done it."
Dropping his hand away Eggsy grinned at him. "So your arse ain't perfect. There's a news flash."
Torn between being ridiculously relieved that Eggsy wasn't cross with him and annoyed at the way he was being teasingly mocked Harry huffed out a sound of annoyance. "I get regular compliments on my posterior, thank you very much."
"Doesn't surprise me. It is pretty fine."
And on that note Eggsy gave him a wink and then turned to head back towards the door with plenty of swagger to his stride as he called out that Harry should get his fine arse in gear and shower while he put together lunch for them.
Oh. Ah. Huh.
