For prettyballsy

[fucking_gentleman]

The alarm was sounded at eleven in the morning, the day after Eggsy visited.

The alarms should have gone off before then, but Harry had hacked the machines, pulling and stripping wires and looping the feedback back into itself so there was no sign that he was no longer connected.

He had borrowed clothes by picking his way through the hospital, acquiring one item after another, cards and pass codes and by the time he left, he was dressed and had loose cash, a pilfered phone from a wanker who refused to turn it off and said wanker's credit card, which he used to withdraw the maximum he could and then tossed.

With more CCTV than any other city in the world, he then vanished off the grid.

By the time Eggsy was brought in by Merlin at quarter past midday, Merlin was waiting for another ping from a new internet cafe, the various footage of Harry's escape running behind him, being analysed by technicians for any hints.

"He realised he'd been made and vanished from the last internet cafe in under two minutes. He was off the cameras again within five. You're being authorised to locate and bring in Galahad, before he becomes a target or, worse, gives himself a stroke."

Comments

[prettyballsy]

"Good. I hope you never remember it," he said, meaning it. "Hope you don't remember the fight we had either," he added in a low voice.

"Aw come on. Let me bring you in for the bonus points of pretending I'm doing what I was told," he teased, even as he rose, considering. "If I was a mobile in Harry's place, where would I be?" He hadn't thought about that when he left his behind.

[fucking_gentleman]

"I hope I do. So I can apologise for what I said and you know I mean it." He knew he meant it, but Eggsy wouldn't believe it until he knew Harry remembered.

"You won't find one. There's a land line in my study, use that." Apparently, he has a study. And a landline in it. "You can bring me in, but I still refuse to go back to the hospital and if he tries, I will let myself out and actually go to ground."

[prettyballsy]

Eggsy didn't say a word, because he wasn't sure Harry would. He knew he had fucked up bad, and remembering that meant he went on every mission looking to make Harry proud.

"I'll find that then, and ..." And he nearly choked. If Merlin wouldn't listen, he was going to lose Harry and he wasn't sure he could handle that a second time. "Then I hope he listens to the kid he stares at like he's an idiot some days," he muttered under his breath.

He hadn't before, but then this all started and that changed. But he headed to the study, dialing the number he knew by heart. He spoke before the operator could.

"Oxfords not brogues, tell Merlin to send a car to Harry Hart's place. We're coming in."

[fucking_gentleman]

"He stares at everyone like that," Harry murmured.

In the silence, surrounded by familiar scents and sounds, Harry promptly went to sleep, hands folded across his stomach, still holding onto the handgun firmly.

[prettyballsy]

But everyone wasn't trying to prove themselves to a man they thought dead and expecting Merlin to judge him for it.

Coming back, he stood over Harry, listening for the car. His hands were clenched at his side, terrified they could get back and he'd wake one day and Harry would be gone. For good.

"I'd beg you not to leave me if I thought it would work," he whispered, turning away as he rubbed the side of his hands at his eyes. Taking a breath, he waited until he heard the car, coming to Harry's side.

"Harry," He whispered, putting his hand over the hand holding the gun and not on his shoulder, just to buy himself time. "We... It's time to go."

[fucking_gentleman]

Harry slept. He never slept well in the hospital; he wasn't sleeping well now, but he was asleep and relaxed.

With someone else, he might have come awake fighting, but he had learned Eggsy's voice already so he just opened his eye, peering up blearily. "Don't want to."

[prettyballsy]

Tenderly he brushed his fingers along the back of Harry's hand. "I know. I know you don't. I don't want to take you back either but we have to handle this like agents to get what we want. We report, we make our case to bring you back here, with an agent assigned to watch you and a nurse that comes in. I've been thinking about this," He said, speaking so softly. "But we can't make our case from here. And if we stay the night, you can have my bed and I'll sleep on the floor. Okay?"

Whatever it took to make sure Harry was okay and not taken away.

[fucking_gentleman]

Harry, in typical Harry fashion and with a complete disregard for deadlines, sits up slowly and looks at the wardrobe. "I want my own clothes. It's been two months since I got to wear my own clothes. I don't think you're going to let me shower, so we're taking clothes with us."

[prettyballsy]

"You could have mentioned a shower before the nap," he pointed out, lifting his hand and holding it out. "Give me the gun and go shower. You got ten minutes and I'll pack for you. If you end up in sweats and my jackets, that's your own fault," he said, trying to sound like himself, like a Kingsman, and not like the panicked kid he was.

[fucking_gentleman]

"Good lad." The gun was handed over and Harry used Eggsy to pull himself upright again. "The nap wasn;t planned, I assure you."

Harry shuffled his way to the ensuite, taking a few moments to work everything out and then getting into the shower.

It took a while. Certainly more than five minutes, because he decided to sit down and have a break half way through, having not managed to get to washing his hair or shaving yet, but he was exhausted and sore and nowhere near well enough to be having the day he'd had.

[prettyballsy]

He didn't just pack sweats. Suits he liked went in the garment bag. Jeans, casual clothes, PJs and under things went into the gym bag he found. After about eight minutes, he went to the bathroom door, tapping on it. "I need to know you're conscious, Harry."

Because if he didn't get an answer, he was opening that door, even if it was locked.

[fucking_gentleman]

"Yes, yes, I'm conscious." The shower was off, at least. He just wasn't getting up off the stall floor. "Hang on."

He stayed where he was, watching the towel rack where there were no towels.

"Would you be a good lad and fetch me a towel or two?"

[prettyballsy]

"Sure, and I'll even try and make them full size," he said, heading to the cabinet he assumed was linens. Finding it was, he grabbed two towels, and came back. Rapping on the door.

"MY eyes are closed and everything," he called, meaning it. At least if he acted like this he wouldn't think about everything else.

[fucking_gentleman]

"Well, that's reassuring to know, but after hospital, it feels like half the city of London have wandered in on me undressed."

He didn't want to admit he couldn't get up off the floor, that the world was swimming a bit.

"Eggsy, dear boy, do you think you could raise Merlin and ask for a medical transport instead? I'm not feeling the best right now."

[prettyballsy]

He had been about to make a comment about respecting Harry. Until those words.

"Fucking goddamn..." He was cursing then, spinning around and then back. "Dammit, Harry! I told you!"

Which wasn't happening. Not at all. Yet he was handling this best he could. And he was going to hear it from Merlin that THIS was why he brought his phone and he didn't leave devices behind.

He wasn't gone long, sending the call and then coming back, shoving open the door with a towel already held up and at the ready because, dammit, everyone probably had but Eggsy wasn't going to invade like that.

"I swear when you're better, and on your feet and not having these spells, I swear to God I'm going to fucking hit you," he said, coming in to kneel down close, gaze on the flood and averted, just using his peripheral vision to get where Harry might need him."

[fucking_gentleman]

"Yes, yes you did tell me."

Which was not Harry apologising. At all. He did what he felt he had to.

He wasn't cold, exactly, when Eggsy came in, but he was starting to cool down. "You can hit me now, my left arm is still perfectly healthy and functional. I just need a hand getting upright and staying there."

[prettyballsy]

He made a face, wrapping the towel around Harry's shoulders. He stopped, staring at him, mouth gaping. "For God's sake, Harry. I'm not going to hit you," he said, even though he'd just said he would. "Arm around my shoulder. If you need more than that, tell me."

He had to be strong, and steady and not let himself crack over this.

[fucking_gentleman]

"You'd probably be entitled to." He held onto Eggsy and worked him with him to get upright again, then pulling the towel to wrap around his waist. "Help me put on some clothes before they get here. Please."

[prettyballsy]

"No, no I'm not." Much as he would rant about it, it didn't mean he would do that. Not to Harry.

So he helped him to his feet and moved to get him to the bedroom. Keeping him close and move to get him on the bed. "Casual or suit?" He asked, no hesitation in helping. "Harry, whatever happens, I'm on your side. You have to know that."

Which meant whatever he needed, Eggsy was there.

[fucking_gentleman]

"Casual. I'm just going to be made to strip for a medical examination when I get in." He sat on the bed with a grateful sigh and wondered what constituted 'casual' for him.

"I know you are. That I have not doubted once."

[prettyballsy]

He nodded, moving to find the most casual he could. "I'm thinking the satin jammies are a bad choice," He teased, though he grabbed a pair of sweat pants, midnight black and probably for training, and a tee shirt. Opening a drawer, getting a pair of pants and coming back over.

"How much help do you need?" He asked, not wanting to push or insist, and not commenting about the doubt. He needed to stay focused and a Kingsman. At least right now, even with all the cursing.

[fucking_gentleman]

"I can manage once I have the clothing. I'm just a bit beyond wandering around looking for it." He could dress without help, if he was careful.

He took the offered clothing. "Thank you. If you could wait out the front for them to arrive and show them up when they get here?" It would give him a chance to change and Eggsy a chance to put himself together.

[prettyballsy]

"Of course," he said with a nod. "I told you I wasn't going to look," he said, staring at Harry for a long moment. "And you're welcome," he whispered, turning on heel and all but fleeing. Not for the nudity but because he had to pull himself together before anyone who would report back could see him.

So he was standing by the door, chin up, hands clasped behind his back, expression almost hollow.

[fucking_gentleman]

"And I believe you. But someone must show them up."

Harry managed to get dressed, popped the handgun from the headboard and promptly fell asleep again, curled on his side and left hand tucked up under the pillow to conceal the fact he was armed.

The medical team arrived in a private ambulance, complete with stretcher.

[prettyballsy]

Eggsy nodded when they arrived, giving a jerk of his head. "This way, stay behind me and don't overreact." He was sure they were good at their job, but he was going to protect Harry at all costs.

So he led them up to the bedroom door, holding up his hand for them to stop. "Stay here," He said, moving into the room. He came over behind Harry, making it harder for him to get a shot in case. "Harry. It's time again," he said, chuckling at the deja vu of this.