Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

TAKEN BY THE TIDE - 2

“And there is NO way you do not recognize the name of Richmond Valentine, unless you do actually live under a rock. And by the state of your clothes…I would not be surprised.”

“REALLY, Galahad,” Merlin snorts into his tea. “Ye just could nae resist, could ye? Peacock.” He relishes the thought that Harry can hear him but is unable to respond.

He smiles as he watches the expression on Professor Arnold’s face morph from fear to indignation and back to fear again as Harry continues, “Richmond Valentine.” The view tilts slightly as Harry changes position. “I have all day, Professor Arnold, although I have better things to do with my time.”

“Although I would nae mind if ye wiped the floor with this mouse a bit, it has been far too long since I’ve watched ye in action,” Merlin murmurs in Harry’s ear.

“R-Richmond Valentine, you say? Valentine. Ah, yes, the entrepreneur. I do remember the name!” Harry’s feed moves again. Arnold stares up at him fearfully. “All right, all right…I met with him. He wished to speak to me about…about…”

“Spit it out, man!” Harry and Merlin say at the same time.

“About…I’m not supposed to…” Papers whisper to the floor as Arnold clutches both side of his head. His face turns red as he shakes from side to side.

“There’s no need to be dramatic,” Harry begins, and Merlin cannot help but snort again. Pot calling the kettle black.

The loud explosion and flash of light cause Merlin to drop his tea and jump to his feet simultaneously. His speakers go silent except for an underlying hiss, his monitor lines of grey and black. “Galahad,” Merlin says. He clears his throat and tries again. “Galahad, report,” he orders. “Galahad, if ye dinnae report…REPORT, agent.” Silence.

Merlin grips the side of his desk for a moment before he slaps the side of his glasses and begins to bark orders.

It seems like days instead of hours before Merlin is standing alone in a room with a white-jacketed doctor. A new doctor, one Merlin hasn’t seen before. “Dr. Barnett,” she says, thrusting a hand out at him. “I understand you are Agent Galahad’s husband?”

“Aye,” Merlin says, shaking the outstretched hand. “I am the Merlin.”

“I am aware,” she says loftily, and Merlin likes her already. “Tell me, Merlin, would you like the sugar-coated version, where I tell you everything’s going to be just fine and I insult your intelligence along the way, or would you like the truth.”

“I dinnae have time for sugar, except occasionally in my coffee,” Merlin informs her, earning a small smile.

“Your husband will survive this, that is the truth,” she says. “As we do not know much about the blast itself, I cannot say more. Physically he seems well enough; from what we saw he caught most of the…residuals…on his face.” She clears her throat. “The…the other person’s brains.” Merlin nods curtly. “There is always a chance of cognitive damage, but we will have to wait and see. Right now he’s resting, and stable. Vitals are good.”

“Ye will learn, Dr. Barnett, that my husband has a flare for the dramatic,” Merlin informs her. “But I appreciate your concern and your honesty.” He takes a deep breath. “We have a young man boarding with us, Eggsy Unwin. He works in the kennels. He and Harry have become quite close over the years…he will wish to know what’s going on, and to visit when it is permitted. Will this be a problem?” He poses it as a question, but the tone of his voice says otherwise.

“Of course not. Once Galahad is out of the woods a bit, he may have any visitor you deem appropriate.” She gives him a nod. “I will make sure you are informed of any change…unless you wish to come in and sit with him for a moment.”

“Christ, no thank ye. I will likely only injure him more telling him what I think of his theatrics.”

“To be honest, that’s what I figured you might say. I will keep you informed.”

“I will look in on him, however,” Merlin says. There is no way he’s leaving Medical without putting eyes on his ridiculous husband.

“Very well.” She leads the way down the corridor.

Merlin opens the door and steps inside. Harry lies still and quiet on the bed, hooked up to the usual beeping machines that keep Medical from complete silence. “Harry…ye idiot,” Merlin whispers. He enjoys leaving his husband battered and bruised but seeing him like this at the hands of someone else causes Merlin’s blood to boil. “Your boy will not take this well.” Merlin stares at the face he loves and sighs.

“Mate, I saw this coming before YOU did,” Eggsy says earnestly. “Oi, Geneva, eat your dinner and leave his alone.” He gives a greyhound a brief tap on the backside.

“YOU saw it coming?” Richard asks, leaning against the door with the hose in his hand.

“I did. She didn’t want nothing from you but your wallet. How many fancy dinners did you take her to?”

“Ye do that sort of thing early in a relationship,” Richard argues.

“Every bloody time? You went out, what, six dates, and how much did she get you for?”

“She liked gourmet food.”

“She LIKED you spending your paychecks on her.”

“I’m sure your blokes spent a decent amount on ye to show their affection,” Richard retorts.

Eggsy blushes a bit. “Not at the beginning.”

“How’d they show it, then?”

“They…they saved me from a beating,” Eggsy murmurs. “My step-da came after me, they took care of him and his mates right quick. Sent them…away.” Eggsy still isn’t quite sure what happened to Dean and his goons, and he’s not sure he WANTS to know. “Anyway, I ain’t never asked them to spend money on me, they just DO it. Well, Harry does it. Merlin just grumbles about it.”

“Isn’t that sweet?” Richard says with a grin.

“Oh, fuck off. This ain’t about me. This is about that Melissa…”

“…Michelle.”

“Whatever the fuck her name is, it’s about her giving you the boot. You was too nice to her.”

“When I want relationship advice from ye I’ll ask for it.”

“You should, because obviously I know what I’m talking about. Got two fit as fuck gents, haven’t I? TWO. And I’ve managed to keep them around for years now, so…” Eggsy gives Richard the two-finger salute as his mobile rings in his pocket.

“Ye still toting that antiquated piece of garbage around?” Richard scoffs as Eggsy pulls out his phone.

“Merlin gave me this…and he keeps it updated. Trust me, the man’s a genius with his hands.” He winks at Richard as he says, “Hey, Merlin.”

“Lad, when ye are done with work for the day, I need ye to meet me in my office instead of going home.”

“Was gonna stop at the shop, pick up some veg for a good salad,” Eggsy informs him. “Know Harry might be late and…”

“I said meet me in my office, Eggsy. No questions, just do it.”

Eggsy blinks. Merlin’s voice is harsh and almost…dominant. “Yes, Mas…” Eggsy catches himself at the last minute. “Yes, Merlin, I can do that.” Merlin terminates the call without another word and Eggsy slowly slides his phone back into his pocket.

“Everything all right?” Richard asks. “Trouble in paradise?”

“Never,” Eggsy says, although right now he’s questioning that.

Eggsy runs a hand through his hair as he knocks on Merlin’s office door. “Enter,” the familiar voice says. He takes a deep breath and pokes his head around the door.

“It’s me, Merlin, as requested.”

“Come in, Eggsy,” Merlin says almost formally. Eggsy’s insides begin to quiver a bit, but he does as he’s told. Merlin’s expression is totally unreadable. He is stone-faced, as he usually is at HQ, but there’s something different…a tightness at the corner of his eyes. “Please sit down.”

A thought occurs to Eggsy and he remains where he stands. “Christ…you…you didn’t lose another agent, did you?”

Merlin just barely winces. “Did I stutter? I said sit DOWN.”

Eggsy mutely drops into a chair, his fingers twisting into knots that match the knots in his stomach. He runs the past day or two through his brain to figure out what he’s done wrong. Merlin NEVER brings their home life into the office, so it can’t be something like that. He and Richard get along famously; if Richard had a complaint about his work, he’d tell him. Eggsy is always respectful to the knights he encounters – he’s respectful to everyone, quite honestly – and he helps Andrew whenever he asks.

“Sorry,” he finally manages, glancing up at Merlin.

Merlin slowly stands and comes around to sit at the corner of his desk. “Now, I know my husband has been a horrible influence on ye…ye tend to have dramatic outbursts when they are nae required.”

Eggsy blinks up at him. There’s something that doesn’t require a dramatic outburst but might CAUSE a dramatic outburst? “Okay…”

“I am asking ye kindly not to have one of those outbursts when ye hear what I have to say.”

“Just fucking say it, bruv,” Eggsy can’t help but blurt out. “If you’re gonna rip off the plaster, just fucking tear it off.”

“Just as I expected,” Merlin says under his breath. “Harry is currently in Medical with an injury.”

“Whatever it is I’m sorry and…an injury?” Eggsy interrupts himself. “Harry? In Medical? With an injury?”

“That is exactly what I said, lad. There was an…event earlier today when he met with Professor Arnold.”

“What KIND of event?” Eggsy manages.

“An explosive sort of event.” A strangled sound escapes from Eggsy’s mouth. “He is fine, Eggsy,” Merlin says sternly. “I have spoken to the doctor…a very capable young woman who will be quite the asset to Kingsman…and she feels very optimistic about his recovery.”

“Quite optimistic? After an ‘explosive sort of event’?” Eggsy makes finger quotes around the words.

“This is nae the first time he has ended up in Medical after an explosion, ye know that,” Merlin reminds him. “And he recovered quite nicely. As annoying as ever.”

“Yeah, but you wasn’t this…evasive, talking about explosive kind of events. He was at a fucking UNIVERSITY, Merlin. Why the fuck was there any sort of explosive event to begin with?”

“That’s what we are trying to figure out, and it is information you are not privy to,” Merlin reminds him.

“I SHOULD fucking be privy to it…he’s mine, too, in case you forgot!” Eggsy snaps. Merlin glares at him and he shrinks back into his chair. “Fuck.” Eggsy rubs a hand over his face. “Christ, Merlin, I’m sorry. That was out of line. He AIN’T mine. I know that.”

“He most certainly IS yours, Eggsy, and when he’s up and about he will wallow in this concern for ages,” Merlin says, making a face. “Ye have every right to be worried…it is most definitely your place. Ye will refrain from screaming at me in the future, however.”

“Yes, Merlin,” Eggsy whispers. He slowly stands so they’re eye to eye. “You all right, Merlin-bot?”

“There is always a chance, when an agent goes into the field, that they will return injured, or not at all,” Merlin says quietly.

“Don’t go quoting the Kingsman By-Laws or whatever, Merlin. Ain’t what I asked.” Eggsy pauses briefly before putting his arms around Merlin. He feels a sigh, and then Merlin’s long arms go around him as well. “Have you seen him?”

“Aye. The usual, hooked up to machines and the like. But he’s breathing on his own…just taking a bit of an unexpected nap.” Merlin briefly squeezes him tight before gently pushing him away so he can stand.

“Unexpected nap…a coma?” Eggsy whispers.

“This just happened today, boy. I wouldn’t say coma just yet.”

“Can…would…”

“I mentioned ye to Dr. Barnett and she said that when I feel visitors are welcome, ye may come in. We will go back down to Medical and ye may look in on him. But that is it. He needs his rest.”

“Yes, Merlin,” Eggsy says, already halfway out the door.

His feet barely touch the floor as they make their way down to Medical. Merlin stops by the nursing station to speak with someone, and it takes everything Eggsy has in him not to demand to be taken to Harry immediately. They’re finally allowed to make their way down the hall to a doorway. “Remain quiet,” Merlin warns.

“I ain’t six, Merlin,” Eggsy says with annoyance. Merlin opens the door and Eggsy steps inside. “Fuck me,” he whispers, knees going weak. Harry’s face is red and covered in bruises. His eyes are covered with some sort of gauze and, as Merlin said, he’s hooked up to all types of machines and monitors. “His eyes,” Eggsy manages. “He…they…”

“Medicinal,” Merlin promises. “A foreign substance…they had to clean and rinse his eyes, and now they’re healing.”

“Healing,” Eggsy repeats. Before Merlin can tell him no he slides around the machines to Harry’s bedside. “I’m here, Harry. Merlin, too,” he whispers. “We got you. You’re here at Kingsman, gonna get well real fast, right? Know you hate Medical, so get a move on so we can take you home. Me and JB, we’ll get you to rights.” He sniffles and wipes at his nose with his knuckle, something he knows Harry would hate. “Love you. Love you SO much, Harry.” He brings Harry’s hand up and kisses the palm before stepping away from the bed. It takes everything he can not to climb on the bed and wrap himself around Harry’s legs but that won’t help him heal.

Merlin leads the way back to his office. “I will nae need my dinner,” he tells Eggsy as soon as the door closes behind them. “I have a few things to investigate here, obviously.”

“If you’re staying, I’m staying,” Eggsy informs him.

“Ye cannot stay here, lad. I will be working and ye will only be in the way. Plus JB is at home waiting for ye.”

“I’ll get him and come back.”

“I dinnae WANT ye here, Eggsy,” Merlin snaps. Eggsy reels back. “Jesus.” Merlin closes his eyes for a moment and draws a ragged breath. “Lad, if ye are here, ye will be a distraction. Not intentionally. My mind should be on my work, on finding out how and why this happened. But if ye are here, I…”

“You’ll be worrying about me,” Eggsy realizes. “About how I’m feeling.”

“That is not what I said.”

“You don’t have to say it.” Eggsy throws himself at Merlin, who catches him with a bit of a stumble. “I don’t want to be in the way of you finding out how the fuck this happened. I just…I just don’t want to leave you. Or leave Harry.”

“Harry is well taken care of.”

“So?” Eggsy mumbles into Merlin’s jumper. He feels Merlin’s large hand stroke through his hair. “And if he’s well taken care of, fine, but who’s taking care of you?”

“I can take care of myself,” Merlin says. This time Eggsy SNORTS into Merlin’s jumper. “I do beg your pardon, boy.”

Eggsy pulls back to look at him. “I’m gonna stop by the dining hall on my way out, and they’re gonna send food up for you in a few hours. And if you don’t eat…it won’t end well for you.”

“If ye dinnae get your arse out of my office, it will nae end well for YOU.” But Merlin gives Eggsy a long kiss.

“Love you, Merlin.”

“And I you…ye ridiculous boy.”