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The Perils of Sugar
After the-er-lovely way the morning had gone Harry had thought a similar afternoon would be in store for them. Sadly not. Even before their lunch had concluded Daisy started to act up, unable to sit still and talking so fast that it was difficult to understand her half the time. And when Eggsy told Daisy she needed to stop squirming so much or there'd be no dessert for her-well instead of her usual pouting or wheedling Daisy actually slammed a little fist on the table with a loud "NO!".
A statement that was then followed by a lot of tears and whining because her hand hurt.
After a quick examination to confirm that she hadn't in fact done lasting damage to her hand Eggsy plopped her down in his lap and told her no dessert, and she was having a nap as soon as they were all done eating.
That was apparently the final straw.
Breaking out into wild sobs Daisy both kicked out and clung to her brother as she cried into his shirt, clutching it as she sobbed things Harry couldn't understand, but which made him feel awful as he reached out to pat Daisy's oddly braided hair.
"Poor, Lass. I shouldn't have left her to report to you. Or I should have brought her with me." Merlin looked utterly gutted on the other side of the table, the Scot not even touching his dessert.
"It's all right, Merlin. She's a toddler. This comes with the package, I'm afraid. She was due for a tantrum, specially with all the stuff what's been happening lately. She don't like breaks in her routine and meetin a lot of strangers at once. Built up in her." A telling little pause. "And FYI, it ain't never a good idea ta give Daisy that much chocolate afor noon. She don't handle her sugar near as well as you do, Bruv."
"Oh."
Something about the look on Merlin's face immediately raised Harry's suspicions...
"Merlin...was that chocolate bar the only candy you gave her today?"
"Wellllll..."
As it turned out Merlin had also been sharing some of his own candy stash with the girl throughout the morning...and Mari might have given her some Jujubes. Also one of Merlin's assistants had brought in donuts and it wouldn't have been right not to let Daisy have one too. And Percival had given her a sucker. While Merlin's back was turned so that one had not been his fault.
Oh...and he might have bribed Daisy with that chocolate bar because she'd started acting up in his control room before lunch.
The look Eggsy lobbied in Merlin's direction, well Harry considered it absolutely deserved as he added his own dark look to the mix.
"I know, I know. I shouldn't have given her the bar and we-I-didn't mean any harm." Merlin's gaze was truly sorry and regretful as he apologized to the hiccupping in between mini sobs Daisy.
"I know ya didn't do this on purpose. And you've learned your lesson, yeah?"
"Yes. I'll buy some fruit for the next time she visits." Merlin promised. "Or granola."
"Or ya could have just given her the snacks I packed for her in her bag like I told ya."
"Oh. Right. I forgot about those."
Eggsy rolled his eyes and then turned his head to look in Harry's direction. "Right. Harry, think the lessons are gonna have ta be over for today. Best if I take her home. She ain't gonna be fit company, plus bein in a strange place is gonna make it worse."
Out the corner of his eye Harry could see Merlin face drop like a child whose playdate had just been cancelled. Which, he supposed, was the case here.
"Quite right. I'll walk you down to the tube and make sure Thomas is waiting on the other end to see you safely to the car park. Will the two of you be all right traveling in it without me?"
"Yeah. She's gonna pass out in the next few minutes, I'll bet. Hopefully she'll sleep through the whole thing.
"Eggsy." Daisy's pitiful voice drew all their attention back to her.
"Yeah, Flower?"
"I wanna go home."
"Okay, Luv, okay. We'll go soon as we're done our lunch, kay?"
"Kay." Drawing in her legs to better snuggle in Daisy curled up against Eggsy and went quiet save for the occasional sniffle.
Needless to say the rest of the meal was a very quiet affair.
)
As planned Eggsy and Daisy headed back home after lunch had concluded, Eggsy texting Harry updates so Harry knew that Daisy had passed out two minutes into the tube ride and had still been fast asleep by the time they'd made it back to the shop. Thomas had helped Eggsy get all their stuff and Daisy back to the car, and the drive at least had been peaceful. Reading between the lines Harry had gotten the distinct impression that Daisy had not been in the best of moods or behavior after she woke up, but Eggsy didn't outright complain. Harry wasn't sure Eggsy would even if Daisy was driving him to the brisk of insanity. Harry was fairly sure that Eggsy knew that they had a permanent home with him, and that he wouldn't get angry or toss them out if Daisy had tantrums or broke things accidentally or even on purpose, but Harry also wasn't an idiot. He was well aware that Eggsy pretty much never complained about anything, especially when it involved his sister. A bad habit they needed to work on. But at least the following day was scheduled daycare. Eggsy would have the majority of that time to relax and recover from Daisy's sugar madness.
Perhaps he should book Eggsy a massage or something along those lines. Though in all honesty Harry didn't like the idea of some unknown individual having their hands all over Eggsy's lovely body for a bloody hour or more. He didn't like the idea even if the massage lasted a few seconds. Which was selfish and silly of him, but so sue him, what they had was new and he was-well Eggsy did turn his brain to mush with alarming ease.
Ergo Harry tabled that idea and instead insisted on bringing takeaway home for dinner instead, Eggsy's downright feeble, not to mention single attempt to protest saying it all.
With that in mind Harry announced that he was heading home early, Merlin not uttering a peep of protest and instead offering to take some of Harry's workload off his shoulders so that he had less to do that night. An offer Harry happily took Merlin up on, especially since this whole thing was partially the Scot's fault.
In the words of Charlie Bucket's Grandpa Joe, 'No good can ever come from spoiling a child'.
Though considerable good could come from spoiling your lover after he was forced to spend hours with a grumpy, disagreeable toddler coming off a sugar high, which was why Harry opted to get Eggsy's favorite Chinese takeaway and a pint of birthday cake ice-cream, which Eggsy had recently tried and fallen in love with. More sugar in the house wasn't a good thing, yes, but Harry was confident that Eggsy could keep it from Daisy or at least ration it out once it was safe.
And so with his offerings in hand Harry juggled those bags and his work ones as he unlocked his front door and let himself in, the quiet in the front hallway immediately tipping him off to the fact that yes, things certainly were not as per usual. Daisy was normally there to greet him-especially when she knew he was coming with her next meal.
The sound of steps on the stairs had Harry looking up, the strain on Eggsy's face making Harry wince in sympathy as he set aside his burdens and walked over to meet Eggsy at the bottom of the stairs.
"That bad?"
"It was all right until the hair." Was Eggsy's exhausted reply as he stopped at the final step, which gave him a little more height as he leaned forward to hug Harry, settling against him with a sigh. "Fuck. What a day."
Stroking Eggsy's back Harry asked him what he meant about the hair.
"The mess Mari made of it. Daisy's hair can be a right rat's nest if it ain't cared for right. I figured on undoing the braids once she woke up from her nap-no way I wouldn't have woke her up if I did them while she was sleepin. Got about a quarter of em out but fuck, Harry. Ya'd have thought I was murderin her the way she carried on. She didn't want me taking them out and nothin I said got through ta her. And when I finally got her ta sit down for it she wouldn't sit still and-I gave up. I'll bloody well deal with em later. It was that or lose it." A long, drawn out sigh. "That's why her hair looks even worse now, by the by. She's also right pissed off at me. Sulking in her room."
"I see." Harry was well acquainted with the pitfalls of having curls in one's hair, particularly when you were a child. And Daisy's hair was even curlier than his own had been as a lad. Knots were never fun to work out of hair either, particularly when you were in a bad mood to begin with. "Are we sending her to bed without supper?"
"Tempting...but you don't wanna see what's she's like if ya don't feed her."
Yes. Excellent point.
"Then in that case why don't you take the food to the table and I'll bring her down. I also brought you some ice-cream for later that should be put away post haste. All for you."
Eggsy leaned back a little, his facing lighting up. "Ya brought me ice-cream?"
"Birthday cake flavored."
Beaming his pleasure, Eggsy leaned in for a thank you kiss that Harry was most happy to receive. As was the hug they shared for a moment afterwards before Eggsy announced that yeah, it probably would be for the best if Harry went and brought Daisy down. He'd go hide the ice-cream, as she most definitely didn't deserve any of it currently. He'd share with Harry though.
"Thank you. We could chop up some of those fresh strawberries we have, mix it in with the ice-cream."
Eggsy's eyes practically glazed over with pleasure at the idea. "Fuck. You're just full of mind-blowing ideas today, ain't ya?"
Laughing, Harry accepted another kiss and then off they went to deal with their assigned tasks.
Delaying his face off with his grumpy toddler for a few more minutes Harry took the time to stow away his work and change into more casual at home wear before he cautiously approached Daisy's room, knocking on it gently before opening the door to find Daisy sitting on her floor, a glare firmly fixed on her face before she saw that it was him.
"Unca Harry!"
Squatting down to pick her up Harry noted that Eggsy hadn't been kidding about the state of his young ward's hair. He'd obviously started from the back, where Daisy's curls were free and only slightly tangled looking currently. The rest of her hair was still half in, half out of their braids and gave her a look that-well reminded him of pictures and movies he'd seen of very old dolls whose hair hadn't been tended to in decades after being 'styled' by a child.
"Eggsy being mean to me." Daisy blubbered against his shoulder, cuddling in for sympathy.
"And have you been being mean to Eggsy?" Harry returned, though he gave her a cuddle in return since this wasn't all her fault. The sugar high and then low had not helped matters.
"No." Daisy mumbled.
"Well I know Eggsy is very sad that you two quarreled. You know he loves you more than anything."
"Yes."
Lips twitching, Harry suggested that perhaps she might apologize for fighting with Eggsy. She was a big girl, after all, and Eggsy was very sad. If she did that Eggsy wouldn't be sad anymore and they could have dinner.
"Dinner?"
"Yes. It's downstairs, waiting for us."
"I want dinner."
"And will you apologize to Eggsy?"
Daisy's face turned mutinous.
"Daisy."
"He wrecked my hair!"
Actually that honor went to Mari, in Harry's opinion. But it was one Daisy apparently didn't agree with.
"Your hair can be fixed, and will be after dinner. Is your hair more important than Eggsy?"
Daisy made faces and squirmed around a little before admitting that no, it wasn't.
"Then will you apologize?"
A very long, drawn out sigh.
"Ogay."
"That's my good girl." Harry gave the top of her head a kiss. "Now is Mr. Fox coming to dinner with us, or has he gone to bed early?"
"He comes too!"
"Understood." Cradling her careful on one side Harry walked over to retrieve the stuffie, scooping it up and handing it over to Daisy before they headed out the room, Daisy sighing and continuing to cuddle against him in a way that suggested she would, hopefully, be tired enough to go to bed easily once her hair was taken care of.
)
Daisy's hair did not get taken care of.
To her credit-sort of-Daisy did apologize to Eggsy when they arrived downstairs to find Eggsy in the midst of portioning out the food onto plates. And Eggsy apologized too, to make her feel better, and so a truce of sorts was called. Daisy still sulked a little as she ate her dinner and Eggsy was quite clearly worn out, but overall it could have gone a lot worse. And rather did when dinner was over and Eggsy told Daisy that the rest of her braids needed to come out before bed.
Daisy gave her loudest 'NO!' of the day thus far. Or at least that Harry had been present for.
"Ya can't go ta sleep like that, Daisy. It'll only make it worse."
"No! I want em!"
"Dais, do ya want all the kids ta think your hair's a bird's nest or somethin tomorrow? It will be so tangled it'll take me hours ta set it ta rights."
The look Daisy gave her brother suggested she was prepared to bite or injure him in whatever self-defense methods a toddler possessed if he came near her curls.
Harry tried to help. "Would you let me fix it for you, Daisy?"
"NO!"
"Daisy! Enough! Don't ya take that tone with Harry, ya hear me?"
The mutinous expression she wore said yes, she'd heard him. And was not about to back down on the matter. And while on the one hand that was not a good thing...Harry was also glad that she felt safe enough to throw a tantrum like this. She certainly wouldn't have done it weeks ago. A weak silver lining, but one nonetheless.
Looking back and forth between the glaring siblings Harry turned his thoughts to how this could be solved without biting or further harsh words.
Harry motioned Eggsy over. "Eggsy. A moment, please."
Eggsy gave him a look too but walked over to stand at Harry's side, allowing Harry to lean over to whisper in his ear.
"What if we let her go to bed with them in, then once she's asleep undo the ties at the end. Wouldn't they unravel on their own, given how curly her hair is."
Eggsy took a moment to consider. "A lot of it would, but it would still be a mess tomorrow. And she's got daycare so it ain't like I got all morning ta fix it." A long, drawn out sigh. "But if you're okay with her hair not lookin the best in public...I ain't in the mood ta fight with her on this."
"I'm all for saying she insisted on doing her own hair."
That got a snort from Eggsy. "True enough."
Shaking his head Eggsy turned his attention back to Daisy, who was eyeing them suspiciously. Smart girl.
"Right. I won't mess with your hair...but no arguin with me bout going straight ta bed, all right? And only one story."
Grudgingly Daisy agreed to that. But insisted Harry be the one to read her her story. The look she aimed in Eggsy's direction indicated he should find this to be a horrendous insult, her not wanting him to be the one to read to her instead.
"I'd be happy to read you your story." Harry assured her, careful to keep his face from revealing his thoughts on the matter while Eggsy just shook his head over it.
So they got Daisy upstairs without any real trouble and into her pajamas, the little girl picking out one called 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' for Harry to read. She managed to stay awake for the whole of it, the girl smart enough not to ask for another. Instead she let Eggsy tuck her in more thoroughly and then he and Harry headed out of the room, leaving her nightlight on and the door slightly ajar in case she needed them.
"I'll give it an hour, then come back."
Agreeing that that was a solid plan Harry suggested that they go downstairs, have some of that ice-cream, and veg out for a bit in front of the telly. It would do them both a world of good, no doubt.
"Sounds heavenly ta me."
So that's what they did.
