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 swung his hand around blindly, landing on Charles' hand and then settling again. Hearing a familiar voice calmed him more than anything else and he heaved a couple of breaths, misting up the mask.

"Sch-?" He sighed softly. He'd try speaking again in a moment.

[grailknight]

"Welcome back to the world of the living," he said, wincing from the strike. "We almost lost you again, but you have always been a scrapper."

[fucking_gentleman]

"Wha' 'pened?" He frowned slightly at the struggle with words, but it was too much effort to try saying again with more syllables.

[grailknight]

"You flatlined twice. They did surgery again on your head, at the impact site. There were some blood clots." He gave Harry a thoughtful look. "But you are so bloody stubborn."

[fucking_gentleman]

Harry's remaining eye cracked open to peer at Charles. "Mm." That wasn't great and he seemed to recognise that fact.

"So, no' get'in' out t'day."

[grailknight]

"'Fraid not. I think they think you aren't going to make it, Harry. You need to prove them wrong."

[fucking_gentleman]

Harry's eye closed again. He was tired. He had recorded his message, which had been a big drive to fight on, to make things right for that boy.

He was over fifty, he had never had a serious relationship aside from work and he was tired.

"... why?"

[grailknight]

"Why? Speaking for myself, I have already lost James. I don't know what I would do if I lost you too."

[fucking_gentleman]

Survive. Charles was a survivor.

Mind you, so was Harry.

"Well, if't's f'r you..." Maybe he'd put some more effort into sticking around. Charles wasn't very good at living without someone prompting him. Surviving, yes. Living, less so.

[grailknight]

A small smile tugged at his lips. "Yes, Harry. It is a lot that falls onto you, but I can promise that you will not be alone." Charles had some need to be understood. Friendship meant everything to him.

[fucking_gentleman]

Harry made a noise that was probably trying to be a huff.

His nurse took over briefly, getting him to move his fingers (left side relatively good, right side weak response), then his toes (same as hands), rate his pain score (three) and then open his eye and look at her and track her fingers (relatively successful).

Then she tucked him back under the blankets and reminded Charles there was always a water jug available for either of them and there was a coffee machine down the hall if he needed it.

Harry watched her go. He looked suspicious, but it might have just been because it was difficult to open his eye more than a slit.

[grailknight]

He thanked the nurse and promised that he would make use of both the water jug and the coffee maker.

"After we return home, I would like to sleep for a week," he admitted.

[fucking_gentleman]

"Feel like, I have." He rested for a few moments after getting that out. "Ice?"

He could go an ice chip. The idea of liquid was very appealing.