Chapter Text
Eggsy nearly screamed as he shrugged out of his jacket. Even that simple movement pulled on the knife wound. He felt a hot glob of blood trailing down his side. His fingers were shaking as he wadded his jacket up into a ball to press it against the wound. He pressed down as hard as his arms could manage in their weakened state.
It was too bad that their suits couldn’t be knife proof as well as bullet proof. The last grunt had gotten too close when Eggsy was trying to escape. He had been so busy trying to fight two of them off at once he hadn’t noticed the knife until it was too late.
“Galahad!” Over his glasses, he realized that Merlin was shouting his name over and over trying to get his attention.
“Sorry, bruv.” He answered. “Repeat what you said.”
“I asked if you were alright.”
“Fine.” He answered, though the shakiness of his voice gave him away. “Any chance you got the extraction team on the way?”
“They’re enroute. Fifteen minutes, Galahad. Can you hold on for that long?”
Even if he could survive that long with the blood loss—
There was the sound of shouting in another language from the other side of the door. Something hard slammed into it, shaking the foundation. He had been able to seal himself in their leader’s office after taking him and his goons out. The door would give him some time, but it would take them less than then fifteen to break it down.
“Sure, do what I can. But, can I ask a favor?”
“Hurry the fuck up?” Merlin guessed.
Eggsy laughed. Usually that would be exactly the kind of cheeky request he would make. But he needed something much more important at the moment. “Any way you can patch me through?”
There was silence across the line.
“Just wan’ a check on him. Tell ‘im I’m going to be late for dinner.” Eggsy continued. Neither of them was fooled by the casualness of his tone. Merlin bloody well knew what the request meant. “He was going ta cook for the two of us tonight. Don’t wan’ him to go to all that troub’ if I won’t be there.”
“Galahad, the extraction team is twelve minutes out. You’re not giving up on me now.” He pleaded.
“Nah, not my style. Never gave up on anything before, sure as shit ain’t now. Please, I…” there was suddenly the taste of copper on the back of his tongue. That was not good. “I just need to ‘ear his voice. Please.”
Across the line Eggsy thought for a moment he heard Merlin choke. But that wasn’t possible. Merlin never lost his composure. Then there was a click, and he heard the familiar tone of a phone ringing before the most beautiful sound filled his ear.
“Hello, Hart residence.”
God he always had to answer the phone so proper. Harry may have forgotten so much since he had barely returned from the dead, but he never lost that part of him.
Two years ago, all of Kingsman had been surprised to discover that Harry Hart had survived being shot in the head by Valentine. The bullet had grazed his skull, leaving him in a coma for two months, but at least he had been alive. As soon as they realized that Eggsy had traveled to Kentucky to stay with him until he awoke.
Sadly, the damage from the bullet had been enough to take most of Harry’s memories. He still knew who he was, at least partly. He remembered nothing about Kingsman or Eggsy. He barely even remembered his time in the army.
It had been a long healing process, but they had gone through it together. Somehow, despite not being able to remember him, Harry had trusted Eggsy completely from the first moment he saw him. Harry had leaned on him for support through the long months of therapy. When he had been ready to move back home to England, he had asked Eggsy to live with him.
The rest had just happened naturally. Their relationship developed until neither one of them could deny their feelings anymore. It was impossible not to love Harry Hart. Whether he was the Kingsman agent who had saved his life or the lepidopterists who cooked him dinner and was always there to greet him at the door.
“’ey, Harry.”
“Eggsy,” there was so much joy in the way he said his name, like simply uttering it aloud had been the best part of his day. “Such a pleasant surprise to hear from you, darling. I thought you were working until tonight.”
“Yeah, just had a free moment and I wanted to hear your voice. Miss you like crazy.”
On the other side Eggsy could hear Harry chuckle. “You only spoke to me yesterday.”
“I know. That’s too long to go without talking to my favorite person.” He choked a bit on the last word.
“Eggsy? Is everything alright? You sound…strange?”
It was so tempting to just tell him the truth. Once Harry would have been the only person he could tell everything to. But without his memory it was too dangerous for Harry to know about Kingsman or his missions. Even now, Eggsy couldn’t help but want to protect him.
“Just tired, luv. Didn’t get much sleep last night without you beside me.”
“Well, now I know something’s wrong. You always complain that I steal the blankets or snore in my sleep. What’s going on?” A crack like the sound of a gun went off from behind the door. He had been so distracted by Harry he had almost forgot the men trying to break in. “What was that sound?”
“Thunderstorm.” He lied too easily. A tear dripped down his face as he realized his last words to Harry would be nothing but lies. “Listen, Harry, the truth is I’m not going to be able to make it home tonight after all.”
“Eggsy… you’re scaring me.”
“I know.” Another shot went off and this time it broke through the handle of the door. “But I…I had to make sure you know… I’m sorry I won’t make it home. All I ever wanted was to spend my life with you. I love you so much, Harry.”
“Eggsy, tell me where you are.” He ordered. The fear gone, replaced by a tone he hadn’t heard Harry use since they first met.
But there was no time to wonder what that meant. No time to give in to his demand. The door broke open and an army of feet were heading towards where he was hiding behind the desk. He had nothing to defend himself. No weapons to fight back.
“You were the best thing in my life, Harry. I wouldn’t trade a moment we shared together. Later, luv.”