PSL: For Charles

[fucking_gentleman]

It took two days for things to be sorted enough for Harry Devere to ping on the Kingsman's systems.

Everyone had been handling somewhat more important things for those two days. A lot of people were dead. A lot more were injured. Even more than that were deeply traumatised by the maiming, murdering and mayhem which had ensued while the signal was broadcast.

And even when they weren't, no one had been expecting the ping. Harry's final footage had been graphic, staring at the barrel of the gun, the sound of firing and then the cut transmission. There were plans, of course, to eventually recover his body for burial but they were far from a priority.

Until Harry Devere pinged the system.

Harry Devere, admitted to the ICU of the Livingston Hospital in Kentucky seven hours before V-Day went live. He survived that by the luck of being in a sealed ward, away from people who viewed him as an actual person worth attacking.

Merlin was busy holding down the fort and being Merlin. Therefore, he told Charles to take whatever damn plane he wanted and get to Kentucky and get Harry into the safety of the Kingsman medical facility as fast as he could. He was given a passport which said he was Charles Devere, Harry's younger brother and paperwork which claimed the legal right to make decisions for his unmarried brother in the absence of parents.

All of these things were delivered with the instruction that no one was to know Harry Hart was alive. Not until they knew he would stay that way and not until he was back with them, awake and some reasonable semblance of the man they knew.

Comments

[fucking_gentleman]

Harry could be stubborn, but he wasn't in a position to actually try and make Charles do anything.

"You don't need to be here."

[grailknight]

"You need a friend here." Especially if they had to get out quickly.

[fucking_gentleman]

"I don't want you here," Harry stated.

[grailknight]

"You don't mean that."

[fucking_gentleman]

"Yes, I do." He tried to glare, but drugged up on sedatives and painkillers, it lacked a certain amount of heat. And focus. "I don't want you to see me like this."

[grailknight]

"Harry," he started calmly, "you look better than I was imagining. I am not leaving until you are well enough to accompany me."

[fucking_gentleman]

"It's not about- well, a little, but mostly not about that." Vanity, thy name is Harry Hart, but he wasn't thinking about that.

"That could be months."

[grailknight]

And Charles had no time for Harry's vanity. He arched a brow. "You think you will be here for months?"

[fucking_gentleman]

"I have no idea. But I could be. I appear to probably be missing a fucking eye, Charles. I can't move my right arm or leg."

[grailknight]

"You came out with your life, Harry. That is more than what half our agents can say now. If you aren't grateful for that, then you belong with the dead," he retorted, his calm breaking.

[fucking_gentleman]

"I didn't say I'm not grateful for living," he snapped back. "I don't want you here nursing me for some indeterminate amount of time while I lay about pointlessly and things need doing at home. With Chester- good, honest agents are hard to come by. They need you. "

[grailknight]

"You aren't acting like you are." Charles said with a sigh. "Things are being handled. This is a moot point; Merlin will not accept my return without you."

[fucking_gentleman]

"Bugger Merlin," Harry spat. "Merlin can take that clipboard of his and insert is sideways-"

The door opened to the nurse. "Harry, are you overexciting yourself? Your heart rate just went up again."

"Did it? Fancy that. It must be because Charles is is being difficult and frustrating me."

"I'm sure," the nurse replied, sharing a look with Charles that said she was quite aware that Harry was being difficult.

[grailknight]

He shared a smile with the nurse. "This just means that he is acting his normal self, and I will take that as a positive sign."

[fucking_gentleman]

"Try and stay calm, Harry and be nice to your brother."

"He's not my brother, he's actually my subordinate in a secret assassination guild operating out of London," Harry stated.

"Of course he is," she humoured him. "Still be nice to him and try and keep calm."

[grailknight]

Charles just smirked from behind the nurse. "He is also quite creative when he gets bored. I will warn you now: the stronger he gets, the more difficult he will become. It is his nature."

[fucking_gentleman]

"I have no doubt." She closed the door again.

Harry sighed, steaming up his cannula. "I would have declared you my illicit lover but it felt disrespectful to your loss."

[grailknight]

"Harry Hart showing me some respect? Perish the thought." But Charles was still touched.

[fucking_gentleman]

"Well, you are recently widowed. I can dig up something like respect for that." Of course that was the only reason. Naturally.

[grailknight]

His brows knitted. "Yes, and I try to forget that. Sometimes I've been successful."

[fucking_gentleman]

"I'm sorry." And it was genuine this time. He didn't want to hurt Charles, not with James' death.

[grailknight]

"With everyone in crisis mode, I haven't returned to my house in some time. When I was there last, I have been sleeping on the couch. I cannot bear being in my bedroom any longer than I must." He hadn't even changed the sheets since James's death.

[fucking_gentleman]

"Charles." Harry tried to catch his hand again, gave up when he couldn't manage it. "I was perfectly serious about you staying in my place. Until you're ready to face yours."

[grailknight]

Charles weakly smiled and reached for Harry's hand, giving it a light squeeze. "I know. And I might take you up on that generous offer. I need to be around people right now. Friends." Though he had wanted to seek isolation, it wasn't the best for him.

[fucking_gentleman]

Harry was quiet for a moment. He was fairly sure he was being manipulated, Charles was framing it as he needed to be here, needed Harry. It might have been true even, but raising it like this was giving ammunition to make Harry stop trying to send him away.

Harry had always needed to be admired, be needed. And if Charles was willing to put on the pretence of needing the company...

"Hence, Marlin sent you here."