XVI
Back in the Statesman facility Eggsy wanted to visit Harry again. Y/n had been following him, but now hesitated in the hall. Eggsy paused when he noticed Y/n wasn't next to him. "Are you coming in?" He asked, brows furrowed in question.
"No, I... I don't think I can face him again."
"Y/n..."
"I'm glad he's alive. Honestly that's a miracle and I'm incredibly thankful for that. But the man in that room isn't really my father. Not in the way that matters, at least. I can't stand him looking at me like a stranger again." Her brows pinched together as she tried to keep herself from tearing up.
"Alright, love. You don't have to come." Eggsy assured, pulling her into his arms to comfort her. She gave him a small smile when he pressed a kiss to her temple and pulled away.
"I'm gonna go talk to Merlin. I'll see you later."
"Yeah, alright." Eggsy watched her walk away, not missing how she had folded her arms as if to hold herself, something he knew she did when especially stressed or upset. He quietly sighed when she disappeared from view and he turned to the door, opening it and stepping inside. "Harry." The man glanced up from his task of putting his few belongings into a small bag. "What's going on?"
"I was just packing." Harry answered. "Look at these lovely toiletries Merlin very kindly gave me as a leaving present. Here, try this aftershave." He grapped the silver bottle with the Kingsman label and moved over to Eggsy.
"Yeah, I know, Harry. I'm wearing it." Harry gave a small nod of understanding. "Listen, you- you can't just give up."
"Give up? No, on the contrary. I'm about to achieve my dream. Researching rare butterflies alongside some of the finest minds in entomology." Harry glanced around before wandering to his bag again and Eggsy studied a drawing of the four stages of the life cycle of a butterfly.
"You know, you may as well have stuck me up on this wall. 'Cause you're never gonna find a butterfly more interesting than me."
"Sorry?"
"When you and I first met, I was just like a maggot."
"Maggots turn into flies. Perhaps you mean larva."
"Larva, yeah, okay. Whatever. The point is everyone wanted to squash me. But not you. You helped me to become a caterpillar. And now I've got wings. I'm flying higher than I ever dreamed. And that is all thanks to you."
"I hate to seem rude, but I need to finish packing and get some sleep."
"Harry, you can't just walk away. Kingsman needs you. The whole world needs you. Y/n needs you. I need you."
"Eggy, whoever the Harry was that you knew, he's gone, I'm afraid. Goodbye." He held his hand out with a gentle smile. Eggsy gave him a good look, eventually nodding as he made himself accept what he said and shake his hand. Harry went back to his bag while Eggsy went to the door, gently knocking on it to be let out. Harry gave him one more look as the door closed on Eggsy.
Defeated Eggsy went in search of Y/n again, finding Merlin first. When he asked about Y/n Merlin said she hadn't come to him yet. Frowning in confusion Eggsy went around the facility, peeking into any empty room he could find looking for her, until he came upon the sound of quiet sniffles and hushed talking. Carefully peering around the corner he found Y/n huddled in a corner, legs tucked up to her chest as she held her phone up in her hand. He quickly realized she was on a video call with Tilde, confiding in her cousin how sad and hurt she was about the situation, how it was like losing him all over again. Eggsy wanted so bad to go over to her and comfort her, hold her and tell her everything would be alright, but if she had gone out of her way to find a private spot to be alone and talk to Tilde, then he wouldn't intrude. He'd be there for her when she was ready to have him around.
Until then he found himself at a saloon, finding his own bit of comfort as the bartender set a glass of amber liquid down in front of him. "That's not a martini."
"It is in Kentucky." She retorted.
"Fair enough." She tapped the bar top and walked away. Eggsy picked up the glass and drank the alcohol, the burn in his throat doing very little to ease how downtrodden he felt.
"Here's to you, Eggsy. You're exactly what Kingsman needs." Harry's voice echoes inside his mind.
He tries calling Y/n to check on her, but when he gets her voicemail he figures she still wants to be alone. "Can I have another martini, please?"
"Sure." The bartender picks up his glass to fill it again.
"Thanks." Eggsy mindlessly begins to go through his phone, stumbling upon older pictures of him and Y/n around when they started dating. A favorite of his was a simple photo of Y/n sitting in their bed, reading a book while JB slept soundly in her lap. He couldn't help how pretty she had looked right then, happily absorbed in her novel while lightly petting JB. He smiled to himself, although it was still a bit sad because now he was missing JB. His smile faded as something had occured to him. His eyes drifted to a little statue of a golden retriever dressed as Elvis before falling on his phone again. He swiftly drank his 'martini' and quickly searched up pet stores nearby. "You know what?" He looked up at the bartender as she polished a glass. "That was the best martini I've ever had." He reached into his pocket and grabbed some money, placing it on the bar top and pointing at her. "Keep the change."
"Thanks." She said as he got up and left the establishment.
Not long after Eggsy was stood in Harry's door again with a little cairn terrier puppy in his hands. The door opens and Eggsy steps into the dark room, the lights slowly coming on and waking the man sleeping on the bed in the middle of the room. Harry jumped up when he spotted Eggsy standing there. "It's all right. Don't panic." Eggsy spoke softly. "Just thought I'd bring you a little leaving present." He came over to Harry's bedside. "What do you think? He's lovely, isn't he?" Harry lightly chuckles as he begins to smile. "Would you like to hold him?"
Harry smiles as he gingerly holds the puppy in front of his face. "Hello."
Eggsy then pulls a gun from behind him, calmly holding it up to the dog's head. "Do you think I should shoot him?"
Harry looks over and becomes alarmed at the sight of the weapon, scrambling off of the bed as he holds the puppy to his chest. "Are you quite mad?"
"What? What's the problem? Eh?" Eggsy goes around the bed as Harry backs away.
"No! You can't!"
"What?"
"No, you'll have to shoot me!" He backs away into another corner.
"Shoot you? Well, I will shoot you."
"No. No one's sick enough to shoot a puppy!"
"Well, what about you, Harry? You were sick enough to shoot a puppy! Do you remember?" Harry's breathing becomes rapid as his mind starts to flood with images, flinching away as the butterflies on his walls seems to come to life and flutter around him. Dozens of frames holding pinned butterflies on the walls, a little shelf with a preserved Mr. Pickle, the day he was told he had to shoot the dog he had raised and loved, the day he was shot by Valentine.
"It was a blank!" He shouts as he finally remembers.
"Yes, Harry. Yes!"
"It was a fucking blank!"
"That's right. It was a blank! Yes!"
"I would never hurt Mr. Pickle!"
"Yes, Harry!"
"He lived to a ripe old age! He died of pancreatitis." He looks down at the puppy in his arms. "You're not Mr. Pickle." The puppy yawns as Harry looks back up to Eggsy and finally reckognizes him. "Eggsy?"
"Hello, Harry." He smiles and goes forward to hug him.
"Eggsy." He mumbles, the pieces still fitting into place. "Valentine has to be stopped." He suddenly said as Eggsy pulled away.
"No, I know."
"He has a device."
"It's all right. It's sorted. Don't worry. We got a lot of catching up to do."
"Well, well." Merlin steps through the door of the room. "I suppose I should cancel that taxi."
"Yes." Harry agrees. "If you don't mind... Merlin."
"Welcome back... Galahad."
"Where's my daughter?"
"She's right-"
"Dad?" Y/n steps into view before Merlin can call her in, eyes glued to the man whose gaze now holds the light of his memories. "You remember me?" Harry nods, and Y/n let's out a laugh of relief, rushing forward to hug him. "I missed you." She mumbles.
"I'm back, now. I'm back." He assured. She pulled back with a smile before turning to Eggsy and hugging him in thanks, eyes now glassy from happiness.
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