Chapter Text
If Eggsy were honest, he’d seen this coming for a while now. It was just choosing the occasion. There was only so much he could take before throwing in the towel.
Okay he had been throwing it in for a while now, but not quite as hard as this.
“You jacked his fucking car keys, bruv?” Jamal asked, fuelling the tiring rebel in Eggsy. It was just too easy. Being this was just too easy. It was easy pulling stunts and running for most of the day. It was easy thinning his lips over his teeth and turning up his nose when confronted. It was easy studying his nails as he sat back and watched the bomb-clock ticking away. It was easy because it had to be. It was better than everything else he was drifting through, better than what he’d been through, and certainly better than what was ahead.
The joy ride had been worth it, at the time. The adrenaline rush, the laughter of his mates, the bright lights and loud music carrying them like rock stars. And he could really drive a fucking car, not that he ever bragged, but he was proud. Same with his light fingers; a useful talent, just no opportunities to really use them—if you didn’t count back alley hand jobs.
As always he took the blame. Jamal and Ryan still had good families, prospects, dreams, and he wouldn’t let them miss it. Melding Rottie’s car with the police’s car was just for the heck of it; he knew he was screwed when he saw the damn fox.
And yeah, he should’a done a lot of things. Instead he was getting himself arrested again, only this time it took his mum and Dean to get him out with an extremely final warning. And the warning he didn’t care about—he loved adding to his ever growing résumé down shit creek—it was Dean’s warning that meant anything.
“You useless little shit! I should just kill you! Useless fucking little whore is what you are! I should put you back to work on them streets!” Dean barked in his face, thick hand a around his throat to hold him against the wall as he swung his palm, clouting him solidly. “Is that what ya want, huh? Can’t behave without a regular cock to choke on?!”
His mum was hovering in the background, teary eyed and running her fingers through her tangled hair. Eggsy knew she hated when he got himself in trouble—in trouble with Dean that was. He was the only kind of trouble Eggsy couldn’t escape on the usual day. But he had grown numb a long time ago, and perhaps she deserved to watch him get beat... He knew she loved him, Eggsy wasn’t a childish prat, but he was still her son and if she could stand by Dean day after day of him beating her son, beating her in front of Daisy, then why should he bother trying to make things easier for her? She’d just take Dean’s side anyway.
“Get the fuck outta my sight.” Dean grunted after his rant, shoving Eggsy aside. Michelle jerked out of Dean’s way as he stalked past, muttering something about a beer. Eggsy held his jaw as he stumbled, giving his mum a single glance before hurrying into his room. She’d nurse Dean that beer instead of his face, but he no longer held any anger towards her for it. He understood, he really did, but it was one of those things he needed to grit his teeth and look away from, forget that it existed by doing wild things like motor vehicle theft.
Sometimes getting sent to prison seemed like a better option among the midst of everything, but he couldn’t leave Daisy alone in the world, and no matter what his mum was still his mum. They needed him, even if he had been all but useless these past few years. Stealing, selling drugs and for a short time on his knees in disgusting alleys just didn’t make the cut where Dean was concerned. It was never enough, even when doing more would risk Eggsy getting caught. Eggsy had thought for some time that maybe Dean would’ve preferred that too, just to get rid of him—until he was proven right, and he had his life signed away to the Kingsman Agency, England’s discreet and (somewhat) secret gay mail-order-bride service.
At first Eggsy had laughed himself sick, much to his mum’s dismay and Dean’s ever boiling fury, but he had a pen in his hand, finger prints and his picture taken before he realised they were serious. An institute that specialised in finding boy brides for those lonely rich old perverts that were too high-class to carry around a prostitute, much less a male one. No, why not find an economically desperate boy, pay his family for their loss and marry him, cut off all the ugly connotations and receive all the benefits?
It turned out there was quite the market for it, and Dean was ever the crummy businessman. It had been a year since Eggsy had been registered and so far not one phone call from a potential husband. Eggsy knew it had to do with his record, and maybe that was why he kept messing up. Keep the perverts off his tail with his criminal record—definitely not wife material. Who would want him anyway? He was basically a stalling prostitute waiting for his big client. And if he didn’t come Eggsy was more than sure Dean would put him back on Smith Street. It was that thought that had him pondering prison, but Dean and Rottie had scared him off that escape as well, always banging on about his pink fucking lips. He wished he had never had to leave the Marines. He was stuck in hell and he didn’t know how to escape.
Later that evening Daisy found her way into his room, carried in by a silent Michelle. Eggsy hadn’t even noticed her until she was in his arms, wailing and red in the face. It was a usual thing now, Michelle coming to leave Daisy to fall asleep with Eggsy because she was crying too much. Dean’s voice carried through their small flat, a grating siren, and the prick had the audacity to say Daisy was making the noise.
Neither of them said anything as Michelle shut the door, her eyes anywhere but his bruised face. He followed suit emotionlessly, watching Daisy fuss and whimper in his arms, kissing her little hands and cheeks and murmuring affections until she caught onto the change of atmosphere and soaked it up like a sponge. Eggsy loved her to death, no matter who her father was, and he was glad to know the feeling was mutual. She fell asleep in his arms more often than she did in their mum’s, greedy for his warmth and genuine attentions of which he wished he could give her more. In return her presence was usually enough to sooth his own nerves, breathing in her innocent scent as he curled around her, ignoring the pain in his cheek until he fell asleep.
The next morning hit him like a hangover. Daisy was gone, but he could hear her whining somewhere, his mum’s voice ebbing around it. He got up and dressed mechanically, the same routine every morning, and sauntered out when he couldn’t possibly stall any longer. He had some slight bruising on his left cheek and around his eye but he’d had worse, much worse.
In the kitchenette Michelle was making breakfast, something that smelt greasy and artificial, whilst Dean lounged on the couch. Eggsy ignored him completely, accepting a kiss on the better side of his face from his mum before he went to Daisy, hunching over her cot to squeeze her cheek and greet her. She made a loud noise at the sight of him, holding onto the railing tightly as she edged along the cot.
“’Ey, sweetheart.”
The phone rang, startling Michelle into nearly dropping the pan. Eggsy jumped up and hurried over to her, wordlessly taking the handle as she flicked her hand under some cold water before rushing to get the phone. Eggsy frowned as he watched her; it was a little early for her to be nervous, or high. He cast Dean a look right after, but for once the man wasn’t interested in sneering at him.
“Hello. Yes? Oh. Okay. Oh, er, Dean?” Michelle padded over to him, seeming to hesitate before offering the phone.
“What?” Dean grunted, giving her and the phone both a look. He sighed like it was the biggest thing in the world before snatching the phone and slamming it to his ear. Michelle stepped back and wrung her hands, glancing twice at Eggsy from the corner of her eye. Eggsy pretended not to notice, vacating the kitchenette idly as he tried to eavesdrop. Dean didn’t make it hard, in fact he was getting up with a suddenly vitality that spelt trouble.
“Yeah. Oh yeah, he’s ready whenever you need him. All right? Yeah, can do. Be right there.” Dean tossed the phone back at Michelle who caught it at the last second, and walked up to Eggsy. Eggsy stiffened and stood up straight and steeled himself, hating that it was the most he could do in his defence without giving Dean a reason to hit him again.
But Dean was smiling, an ugly sight, and though he was a cruel bastard Eggsy had never seen him smile when about to lose it.
“Pack your fucking things, ya prick. You got a buyer. Michelle, cover up his fucking face and get ‘im ready. He’s gonna need to learn how to wear make up anyway.”
It was like a gut punch. An icy punch straight in the stomach when you least expect it. And this had been the very last thing Eggsy expected of his day, the last. Stealing another car and driving it into the police station sounded more probable than finally getting a call from them.
“C-come on, babe.” Michelle urged somewhere in the background, hands on his shoulders as she steered him to her room that stank of mould and stale sweat and sex.
He ghosted through, sitting where she put him and staring in shock at the faded wall, his mind racing a million miles per hour.
He was being bought.
WHY? He thought wildly after the initial shock simmered down. Almost all of his stunts were logged with that Kingsman place, they knew all about his thieving, his drugging, his loitering. They didn’t know about the prostitution because he had never gotten caught with that, but that was more to Dean’s relief than his own. That might have had him rejected completely, and he was still confused as to why the fuck he had even been accepted in the first place if it was such an fancy company. He was hardly desirable when it came to reputation, and weren’t that what rich fellas were all about?
Not to mention, what kind of man had taken a look at his file and thought “Yeah, this kid would make a good addition to my spoon collection”? What supposedly high-class man looked at his file and missed all the shit he’d done, the barely noticeable glare in his eyes as they took his catalogue picture—a passable picture only possible due to the fact that Daisy had been right next to the camera in his mum’s arms. He’d taken one look at her little face and snap, they got the best they’d get after much sighing from the photographer.
What kind of man would want to marry a delinquent like him? One probably as fucked up, that was for sure. He was going to be signed over to some depraved fat old bastard who would tie him up and call him a bad boy, accusing him of stealing and selling his shit just to punish him. He wanted to be sick.
Then again, was it worse than Dean? Dean who forced him to his knees for his first blow job, hissing threats into his ear as his filthy friend unbuckled his trousers, glancing around the empty drive away. Dean who smacked him. Dean who smacked mum. Dean who would no doubt start smacking Daisy. Dean who would be unmonitored once he left, having no more Eggsy to pick on... Dean who would never change.
“...You need to leave him, mum. He ain’t good for you and Daisy.” He croaked, finally making eye contact with her.
“Don’t you be worrying about us.” She said softly, circling her fingers in one of her makeup containers.
“I’m serious, mum. What happens—?”
“Shh. You got my number remembered?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Call me whenever you like, okay baby?” She started applying concealer to his cheek, wiping gently over the bruising. She looked like she wanted to have a cry. He wanted to have a cry, but if he did, if either of them did, it would only add fuel to Dean’s fire.
Instead he clenched his jaw and focused on his anger, unable to not imagine the bastard waiting for him.
“If he lets me.”
She tapped him under the chin. “Oi. We’ve spoken about this. These ain’t pub-drunk thugs, Eggsy. These are rich well-do-to gentlemen. You’ll have a whole new life.”
“As someone’s slave, mum.” He dropped his gaze again, his face heating up worse than when she’d first found out he’d been sucking pricks for a month.
She smoothed her hand over his sensitive cheek, more than she needed to to apply the concealer. “Don’t be silly, Eggsy. I’m sure he’s a lovely fellow. Especially if he was smart enough to see my boy is perfect.”
He swallowed down a list of rude retorts and shrugged coldly. “…An’ wha’about you and Daisy? You expect me to lay around in ‘is house all day lookin’ pretty while Dean does whatever he wants? I can’t do that.”
“You can and you will. Please Eggsy, just take this opportunity and go. I don’t want you to hurt anymore.” She cupped his face and turned it up, forcing him to look at her. “I love you baby, so much.” She whispered.
His already wavering nerves broke and he sucked in a breath, blinking back at tears as she kissed his forehead. “Yeah, I love you too, mum...”
“Are you girls fuckin’ ready?” Dean barked from the living room.
“Let’s pack.” Michelle suggested, pulling open his underwear draw like he was six again. He didn’t have the strength to argue, and dug out two old bags that were folded under his bed.
XxXxXxXxXx
The Kingsman Agency house was a fancy fucking place, and Eggsy hated it—he wanted to scrub his trainers all over the carpet. Everything looked like it cost a fortune and he couldn’t understand why it all had to be so detailed. Like curtains weren’t decoration enough, they had tassels and gold beads and snobbish designs on them that just made him furious. His expression soured further and he didn’t bother schooling it, trying not to look at Daisy lest he turn and run straight out the door. He wouldn’t see her again for who knows how long, but ultimately this would benefit her.
Dean swaggered straight up to the front desk where a single elderly man stood, writing in what looked like a schedule book.
“We’re here to book in our son, Gary Unwin.” Dean announced, jabbing a finger back at Eggsy and looking like a right royal prat. At least Eggsy wasn’t the only one.
The man looked up with a small smile, but it faded entirely when he looked at Eggsy. “Is he all right?”
“Yeah, he’s fine.”
“I am so sorry sir, but it looks as though he has a black eye.” The man pointed directly at Eggsy with a pen, as if Dean wasn’t currently puffing his chest out in a way that said watch out, old man. The security must be good, despite no guards or cameras in sight.
“He fell. What? Is that against the bloody law?” Dean growled.
“Our rules ask that care be taken of registered members as a suitor could appear at any given time. Now for example. It would be in poor taste to present Mr. Unwin to his suitor in poor condition.” The man said it so plainly and Eggsy blushed furiously, both at Dean being politely mouthed off to by his old man and at being referred to like some princess who fell in the mud on the way to her blind-wedding.
Dean stepped forward with a glint in his eyes, pointing a callous finger. “I’ll tell ya what is in poor taste—you tryna tell me how to look after me own family.”
“I apologise sir, I am only pointing out—”
“That’s okay, Henry. I’ll take it from here.” It was a new voice, and they all looked over to the door to the right where a tall bald man stepped out from, a clipboard in his hands.
Dean stuck his nose up, making both Michelle and Eggsy turn their faces in embarrassment. “Who’a you?”
“My name is Merlin. I’ll be handling this transaction between you and Mr Hart.”
“Mr. Hart, eh? Sounds fancy, eh boy?”
Eggsy grit his teeth and clenched his jaw, looking anywhere but at the four pairs of eyes on him. Merlin leaned over to stare at him, and he was about two seconds from receiving his own dirty look when he too gestured at Eggsy’s face.
“Though I must repeat what Henry mentioned. Mr. Hart is not going to appreciate those marks. If he declines or demands a cheaper price there is little I can do, the customers come first. This is an upstanding establishment and nothing short of excellence is provided. I trust you were told this when you signed the contract.”
“Calm your tits, all right? Mr. Hart will be plenty satisfied with this one here.”
“Very well. Follow me. First we need to do the blood test.” Merlin reopened the door he came through and stepped back, ushering them in. Eggsy trailed after last, giving Daisy a weak smile as she stared at him over Michelle’s shoulder, eyes big in the unfamiliar surroundings.
“What for?” Dean asked as Merlin led them down a hallway, multiple doors and archways on either side. Eggsy resisted looking down any of them, clutching the handles of his bags tighter.
“I am sure you can understand the need to make sure that Mr. Unwin is clean.”
“We did what you asked ‘n kept ‘im away from all that.”
Much to Dean’s disadvantage, Eggsy thought.
They stopped some ways down the hall and filed into a small room that had less mahogany and more tiles. It was startling in comparison to the rest of the place, white and shiny and smelling of clinical swabs rather than furniture polish.
Merlin raised his brows and titled his head, as if that was that. “Then you have nothing to worry about. But alas, young people are crafty and we must take precautions. It wouldn’t do well to give your suitor a disease, would it?”
Eggsy stared at his shoes until he realised he was being addressed. He looked up and flushed, getting caught in Merlin’s heavy stare. “No?” he guessed, having heard something about disease.
Dean sighed. “Just get on with it.”
There was an adjoining door inside the room and out stepped an older woman, drying her hands on a towel. She gave them all a quick once over and a methodical greeting which she received in kind, and Merlin gestured for Eggsy to sit in the chair available at her station, leaving his bags by Michelle. At least he hadn’t been stripped naked and put on the bed.
He just happened to look up when he saw Dean glaring at him. Eggsy frowned at first, wondering what the fuck he did to warrant that right in front of two strangers, then realised it was about the test itself, and probably what would happen if it came out screaming with some disease. It was of some comfort that Eggsy knew he didn’t have anything nasty, but it wouldn’t need more than a suspicion for Dean to raise his hand, especially if it meant losing out on this money.
“Mr. Unwin, I need you to answer a few routine questions. Would you like us to be alone?” the nurse asked, setting up her station deftly.
“No, jus’ get on with it.” Dean said.
Merlin folded his arms in front of him, catching Eggsy’s attention—purposely and smartly inconspicuous, Eggsy noted. “Mr. Unwin?”
Eggsy shifted awkwardly under the man’s intense gaze, licking his dry lips. “’S all right. Here’s fine.”
Merlin nodded and the nurse took it as a prompt to continue, leaning over besides Eggsy as she took his hand and squeezed each of his fingers tips, choosing one then jabbing it with a needle before he could figure out what the hell the squeezing was for. He hissed softly at the shock but otherwise held still, hand left held out as she took her sample to a small machine against the wall and slotted the needle into it.
When done she picked up her own clipboard from the desk and leaned against it, systematic in her motions but not with the purpose of being unkind. More like someone who had grown numb; Eggsy could relate. He curled his assaulted finger away and hunched his shoulders in the chair, feeling like he was on display.
“Onto the questions. Your honesty is required here, Mr. Unwin. Since signing up to Kingsman have you engaged in any sexual activities?”
He stared at the woman, who didn’t bother looking down her nose at him, much to his relief. He hesitated and glanced at Merlin—why, he didn’t know—and leaned a little closer to the nurse as he spoke, cheeks red. “…Like, with another person?” he asked—because who the hell didn’t masturbate?
“Yes.” She held her pen to the page, hand moving as soon as he answered.
“No.”
“Have you gotten any tattoos?”
“No.”
“Have you started smoking?”
“No.”
“Have you taken drugs?”
“No.”
“Good. Have you been sick at all? Anything that warranted a visit to the doctor?”
“Nah, not really.” He shook his head with a sigh, leaning back now that the embarrassing part seemed to have passed. His mum bounced Daisy quietly in his peripheral vision, Dean standing besides them with his shoulders squared. Merlin was to Eggsy’s side, keeping a few feet of distance and somehow managing to pull of looking at ease while looking like a principle.
“Have you sustained any serious physical—”
Eggsy glanced back up at her when she stopped short, ready with an apology for getting distracted, but she was staring at him with a look of surprise that was quickly furrowing into the lines on her forehead. She looked up, first at Merlin who said nothing, then at Dean who shifted, and if Eggsy didn’t know better he’d have thought the bastard was actually feeling uncomfortable.
“’E fell. Clumsy shite, he is.” Dean shrugged, hands in his pockets.
As much as all the disapproving attention on his bruising sparked a little candle of longing inside Eggsy, it just made his face flame and he turned his face down, shrugging it all off. “...Sorry, didn’t know we’d get a call or else I would’a gone down them stairs more carefully.”
“All right.” The nurse said without much conviction, and put the clipboard down in favour of going back to the machine.
Eggsy’s knee started to bounce as they waited, Merlin checking his watch once and looking out of the small window.
“It’s clear, you can go ahead, Merlin.”
“There, bloody waste of time.” Dean huffed, already at the door.
“Very good, thank you for your patience.” Merlin said to them all, smiling a small smile when Michelle smiled at him, shame and apology in her eyes.
Eggsy didn’t expect the hand on shoulder when Merlin addressed him, head inclined. “Let’s go meet your suitor then.”
Oh god, it was happening. Eggsy couldn’t breathe, burning his nasal passages as he sucked in breath after breath. He held tightly to his bags, ignoring the petting to the back of his head as his mum tried to sooth him, saying things he blocked out. He didn’t want to hear her last regrets or her last loving words. It would just seem all too final. This wasn’t a death sentence. It was just…marriage. A union, a partnership with some bloke he knew bollocks about and would end up in his bed tonight. Fuck, he should’ve banged someone long ago.
It only took one corridor and two doors down and they entered into a study. It was full of books and plants, smelling faintly of pine and whiskey. The walls were full of bequest mementos and heirloom-like things that Eggsy knew nothing about, other than they could probably feed them for a month if sold.
But the room zeroed out when someone suddenly stood, having been seated and blending in with one of the plush armchairs situated in the room. They all went still as the man stepped forward with a grace that could make angels cry. He was an older man, not old, but definitely not young, and he was dressed for success, posh suit and all. Extremely well groomed and not a hair out of place, glasses tucked handsomely on his nose. Eggsy had absolutely no idea what to think as the sight hit him like a train nor what to judge of this compared to things he’d been thinking other than the sudden fear that this man was going to be extremely stern and controlling. He hadn’t even said anything and Eggsy felt like straightening his posture and making sure his clothes weren’t wrinkled.
“Mr. Hart, let me introduce Mr. Baker and Mrs Unwin, and her son Gary Unwin.” Merlin gestured, stepping aside so Mr. Hart could face them.
“He likes Eggsy.” Michelle said, bravely ignoring the looks both Eggsy and Dean threw her. Eggsy looked back at the man, but all he saw was a ghost of a smile forming before Dean cut in.
“Michelle, please. Good t’meet ya.” He shoved his hand out, jaw to the side and nose up.
Mr. Hart took it without hesitation, and if Dean squeezed his hand to assert some kind of power play Eggsy couldn’t tell. His suitor remained impassive, giving a firm shake before untangling his fingers and gesturing to the available chairs.
“Likewise. Please ma’am, have a seat, both of you.” He added, giving Eggsy his first look. Eggsy froze at first, their eyes meeting through the glasses, and it was the second icy gut punch of the day.
“And please, call me Harry.” Harry said, stealing just another moment of Eggsy’s increasingly reddening face before nodding again towards the last empty seat aside from his own, and sat back down like he was some kind of ballet professional. If this man wasn’t about to buy him for quite a decent amount (of which Eggsy couldn’t understand either, they’d all been shocked when the agency accepted Dean’s proposal), Eggsy was sure Dean would’ve had something derisive to say.
Eggsy stumbled gracelessly into his seat, closer to Harry than he wished but at least further from Dean with his mum between them. Merlin remained standing, walking up to stand between Dean and Harry’s chairs, flipping through his board.
An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Or maybe it was only Eggsy’s side that felt like that. Harry was looking at Daisy with a smile, making Michelle smile in return like the proud mum she ought to be every second of the day.
“A gorgeous child.” Harry said, blinking as if everything was perfectly normal and he hadn’t just picked Eggsy from a catalogue and decided to purchase him for anything less than free-range fucking. What was this bloke’s catch? Eggsy couldn’t see it physically, and he highly doubted age was any kind of problem seeing as Mr. Hart looked to be aging better than a bottle of fine wine, so what was it? God, it had to be something to do with the sex, didn’t it? He was probably already mentally dressing Eggsy in schoolgirl outfits.
“Thank you, Mr. Hart.” Michelle beamed, cuddling Daisy. Harry opened his mouth, but Dean spoke first.
“Now then, shall we move this along?”
Eggsy accidentally caught the not-so-subtle look of annoyance on Merlin’s hard face, but Harry nodded simply, as if he was being asked on his opinion on his favourite colour for the million time.
“Indeed. What is wrong with his face?”
Eggsy jumped in surprise and looked at Harry, who was looking at Dean, and hell if Eggsy couldn’t taste the list of head snapping retorts that were probably going through Dean’s mind.
Dean smiled nastily, ineffectively hiding his own irritability beneath it. “Born with it I’m afraid. But—”
Harry cut in this time, voice like ice, and Eggsy shrunk into his seat on instinct.
“The bruises, Mr. Baker.”
Dean paused, not used to being the one to shut up. They all paused, breaths held as Dean chewed out his words. "...Like I told your guy up front, ‘e fell. It ain’t such a big bloody thing.” He was sounding nervous now, not that these strangers could tell, but Eggsy could recognise it from the very rare times when someone with a little more guts and dominance in their world came strutting through. Though here and now it was all about losing the money, Dean would never be intimidated by a man wearing a suit, and carrying an umbrella what the fuck.
Harry raised a brow and inclined his hand to the pages Merlin was holding. “It is when you expect me to pay the full price.”
“I’ve explained as such, Mr. Hart.” Merlin added.
Dean rolled his eyes, shifting in a way to make himself look bigger, and for once it didn’t work. Eggsy blinked, suddenly seeing just how pathetic it was. It had to be the room.
“Look, kids get bruises, ‘nough said. Now are you gonna take him or what?”
“You’re not the boy’s biological father, are you?”
“What of it?”
Harry immediately turned to Michelle. “Mrs Unwin, how are you?”
“Me?” she blurted, before remembering herself and sitting straighter, receiving a nod from Harry. “I-I’m fine. Thank you.”
Harry arched a gentle brow at Daisy. “What is her name?”
“Daisy.”
“Daisy. Beautiful.”
“I thought we was selling the boy, not the girl.” Dean grunted, waving a knee and picking at the descent of the armrests on his chair.
Michelle shot him a startled look; Eggsy nearly jumped to his feet. “Dean.” She hissed.
Harry on the other hand could have missed that for all they knew, he had his attention with Merlin who handed him a few pages. Eggsy tried to regulate his breathing as he tore his eyes from Dean; there’d be enough panting later, no use getting worked up now when his goose was already cooked.
“Summarised on this page is the offer I am making, above and beyond his requirements. Included is a list of benefits to this union and a plan for Eggsy should I pass unexpectedly, aside from the initial fee.” Harry then leaned over and offered it to Michelle, who took it carefully as though she expected him to rip it back. Eggsy himself wanted to rip it from her and take a look, knowing each nice thing on there would only equal more pain for him.
“It is very a generous offer, Mrs Unwin. One of the most we’ve ever offered.” Merlin announced as she brought the pages to her face. “In short Eggsy will be set for life, provided of course he fulfils his duties in return to all that he has promised when signing up as an eligible bride.”
“This...this is...”she trailed off breathlessly.
Dean leaned over nosily. “Lemme see.”
Merlin cocked his head. “Actually Mr. Baker, seeing as you are neither the boy’s father nor Mrs. Unwin’s legal husband you have zero say in this.”
Eggsy’s brows shot up into his hair line and he cracked a smile, if only for a second before Dean was snarling and waving his open hand at Michelle.
“Like hell I don’t. Give it here, Michelle.”
She did as he asked and snuck Eggsy a look he couldn’t decipher—maybe she also knew he was in for it if this man was compensating them as much as he was. “He should see.” She said quietly when she caught that Merlin and Harry were regarding her. They didn’t say anything, Eggsy wasn’t sure why he wanted them to, and they watched Dean flip through the pages with a Cheshire grin on his mug.
“Well, rich bastard ain’t ya?” he scoffed happily. Michelle hid her face behind a scratch and Eggsy looked up at the ceiling, realising this too would fall on him. He’d no doubt be treated even more like dirt with Dean proving just how rubbish they were. His suitor didn’t respond to that, leaning casually to his right as they waited for Dean’s void approval. “…So if ya die, he’s still entitled to this amount?”
“In monitored monthly payments by Kingsman, yes. If I die, which I have no plans to.”
Eggsy was too busy peeking at Harry and the ridiculous confidence in his voice at such a statement to see the papers coming—hadn’t he seen the Titanic? Even Eggsy saw that one. They just missed Michelle and Daisy and smacked him in the chest. He jumped out of surprise and looked around for a cue.
“Well, go on, take a look.” Dean said, impatiently.
Eggsy didn’t even try to stop the glare, but he did hesitate looking at the pages. Only when he did so with a grounding sigh did Merlin chime in. “…As you can see, more than generous. Especially considering Eggsy’s...background.”
Oh yeah, he was getting a hiding like a street rat for sure.
Dean on the other hand laughed loudly. “Please, like there’s any boys in your fancy families that would sign up here. You need boys like Muggsy. All right, let’s do this. Sign and whatnot.”
“Mrs. Unwin?” Harry inclined himself towards her. “Does it all seem in order?”
“Well—” She stopped to look at Dean, as if his answer wasn’t obvious. “Yes, Mr Hart.”
“Eggsy?” Merlin called.
Eggsy was in shock. Monthly dental visits for free? He hadn’t even seen a dentist since before he was in his teens. A family doctor, a house plan, the monthly insurance payouts, not to mention the actual cost of taking care of him—the fuck. Dean could sell him three times over and rent him on Smith Street for eternity and still not reach the amount printed in bold at the bottom of the page. And that was still not even taking into a count every other expense it would cost to take care of another human being, even at the minimum.
He would’ve sat gawking for hours if Merlin hadn’t addressed him by Eggsy, the name strange on his tongue and jolting Eggsy from his daze. He looked around, throat dry, and managed to look at Merlin instead of Harry Hart, who was dishing out a small fortune to call him his.
“...Yeah?”
“Are you in agreement to enter this union?” Merlin asked patiently.
Eggsy looked his mum and Daisy, the only two things that mattered. And suddenly he could see them with a bigger flat, a full fridge, maybe a car if Dean didn’t squander it all. Daisy with new dresses and better quality food, at least Dean never did starve them. Maybe his mum would get help instead of getting more drugs, maybe they’d get that goldfish she’s always wanted. Maybe a lot of things, and if he could help them, then he had to. What else was he going to do anyway? He was only going downhill, and he couldn’t help them from there.
“…Yeah.” He eventually breathed, looking at his lap.
“Very good.” Merlin nodded, sorting papers around in his hand and spreading them across the coffee table. “I’ll explain each form slowly before you sign it. These are—”
“No need, let’s just sign it and be done.” Dean said, shifting to the edge of his seat, looking much happier.
Merlin levelled him with a deadpan look that he smoothed out before anyone could see—anyone besides Eggsy, who wished he had the grounds to do the same to the bastard who was so fucking eager to throw him to the wolves. “It is a legality, Mr. Baker. Eggsy has a right to know exactly what he is agreeing to. So, may I start?”
Eggsy honestly didn’t hear much of what Merlin said. He knew he ought to have listened, but each time he tried it just felt like another icy shot right in the navel. So he slowly and slyly reached over to take Daisy’s hand and play with it between his fingers. Michelle pretended not to notice, letting Daisy lean on the armrest so she could reach him in return. Eggsy made sure to follow visual and audible clues as to when his attention would be tested, making non verbal sounds in understanding. He was pretty sure everyone knew he was barely listening but no one pointed him out, and he kept his blank gaze on the table where the damning pages lay rather than their faces.
Over an hour later and it was done and he signed here and there and over here, leaning back for his mum to do the same, leaving Dean sulking in the background. And if Mr. Hart was staring at him Eggsy pretended not to notice, sniffing and putting up his usual front whenever he had to fight to prove his masculinity. Any sign of weakness and Dean pounced, forcing Eggsy to be someone he didn’t want to be. Would Hart want him to be a fighter like Dean did, provoking him until he was hiding his tears behind aggressive fronts and fists, or a submissive tart that lowered his head and let the tears flow?
Merlin disrupted his derailing nerves with a clap of his hands and a smile that felt out of place. “And that settles it. Congratulations, young Mr. Hart. Take as long as you need to, say your partings and such. Mr. Hart and I will be outside.”
Harry stood immediately, picking up his umbrella and giving them a curt nod before following Merlin out. As soon as the door shut Michelle was on her feet, dragging Eggsy into a bone crushing hug that made Daisy squirm between them. Eggsy swallowed and hugged her back, feeling every one of her ribs.
“Oh baby.” She breathed, eyes clenched. “You’ll be okay. You hear? You deserve this. Just be good and make the most of it. He looks like a good man. And don’t forget you’re allowed to contact Mr. Merlin if anything feels wrong—”
“Yeah, yeah he gets it, Michelle.” Dean snapped, ruining the moment just by existing. They parted reluctantly, and Eggsy looked away rather than glaring at Dean. For some reason he couldn’t bring himself to give his mum nightmares about this particular moment, he didn’t want her to go home remembering the last expression on his face to be haunted.
“But you ain’t gonna do that, are ya? B’cause then they’ll do a refund and you’ll be taking the food outta your mum’s mouth.” Dean stalked up, grabbing Michelle’s arm as he slapped his palm into Eggsy’s chest, knocking him back a step as if to say stay. “So be a man and handle it. Or a bitch, whichever works be’er. C’mon, Michelle.”
Eggsy watched with a rising bubble of bile in his throat as Dean yanked his family away, his mum looking stricken as though she was trying to fool herself as much as him.
“I love you, Eggsy. Call me soon, yeah?” She begged, eyes wet.
Lifting his chin and throwing on his trademark yeah-imma-little-shit smile, he nodded. “I will. Bye Daisy, see you later, yeah? Love you mum.”
Dean slammed the door on him, and for a moment Eggsy stood, smiling painfully at the door, completely alone, in every way possible.
The moment didn’t last long enough for his mask to crack, and the door slowly opened. Merlin popped his head in first with the funniest expression, as if expecting Eggsy to have disappeared.
Eggsy let his stance fall, from his face to his shoulders, and suddenly felt at a complete loss. Merlin stalled his awkwardness a little when he stepped in, closing the door a little but not shutting it. He walked straight up to Eggsy, his brows set deep and serious to the point Eggsy thought he had already done something wrong.
“Listen close. There is a three minute period in which you can tell me now confidentially if you’ve been forced in anyway into this arrangement. Is this the case?”
He wasn’t expecting that. Eggsy blinked dumbly and opened his mouth, glancing at the door and half expecting to see Mr—his husband eavesdropping like a teenage girl. The question was...reassuring, he supposed, but he wished there could be some kind of reassurance that he hadn’t been forced into a nightmare rather than a simply put arrangement.
“...No, everything is fine.”
“All right. Come on, then.” Merlin took Eggsy’s bags before he could argue, taking long strides with his long legs so Eggsy had to hurry after.
Harry was waiting down the hall, glancing at his watch and looking for all intents and purposes, completely at ease. Eggsy wished that meant good news, rather than a psychopath hiding in the skin of a seemingly well-mannered gentleman.
When they reached said man he inclined his head slightly, smiling a small smile Eggsy was hoping was meant to comfort rather than unnerve. He hadn’t seen enough to compare.
“Eggsy. May I call you that? Or shall I address you as Gary?”
That was unexpected too, but Eggsy couldn’t quite figure out if he was being polite or sneaky. He shrugged, nowhere near confident to reply in any negative form until he knew boundaries. “Eggsy’s fine.” He mumbled, kicking himself in fear of needing to repeat it and make his face redder.
Harry nodded anyway, then Merlin butted in. “Here’s his luggage.”
This time Eggsy cut in, hands out. “I can take it.” He said quickly, looking between them.
Harry took the bags anyway, ignoring the kaleidoscope of emotion rushing through his face. “Nonsense, you just relax. Merlin, I trust you’ll see to the last details?”
“As always, Harry. Goodbye for now, and good luck.”
There was a moment where Eggsy was almost sure the last part was directed at Harry instead of him, but that was just ridiculous. He stood awkwardly as Merlin gave them a parting nod and headed off. Harry turned in the opposite direction a moment later and walked off, calling over his shoulder, “Come on then, Eggsy.”
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