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CONGRUENT
“C’mon, babe.” Eggsy takes the remote from Merlin, sets it aside, and slides onto his lap. “Come out with me. One drink.”
“I’m not interested tonight, lad.” Merlin leans around him to see the television.
“It don’t even gotta be alcohol. We could get coffee. Been home from a mission for three days now…wanna take you out and show you off.”
“I said I’m not interested.”
“Is this because of Gawain?”
Merlin slowly looks at him. “Dinnae go there.”
“Babe, I understand.” Eggsy cups Merlin’s chin in his hand. “He got hurt. Badly. But you got him outta there. He survived.”
Merlin takes Eggsy’s hand and moves it. “Ye cannae understand. It’s because of me he was hurt in the first place.”
“You told me when you get in this mood after a mission gone bad I’m ta…”
“Fuck what I said. I want to be left alone.”
Eggsy stands up. “You know what? Fine. Fuck this. If I do what you told me to do, you tell me to fuck off, pretty much. If I act like I don’t care, I’m a shit boyfriend. Fuck this.” Eggsy goes to the foyer to grab his jacket and keys. “Don’t fucking wait up for me.” He leaves and slams the door.
He angrily strides down the pavement, dialing for a Kingsman cab as he walks. He knows Merlin’s right, he absolutely cannot understand what the man is going through. It has to be a nightmare, sending agents out and hoping against hope that they come back in one piece. But Merlin had warned him about these moods and told him how to talk him down. This time, apparently, it wasn’t what was required, and Eggsy didn’t know what WAS required.
The cab pulls up and he tells the driver to head for his favorite pub in town. He’s crushed when he pulls up out front and finds it dark. Apparently it was closed for renovations. He gets out anyway and heads for the nearest place that looks clean and inviting. He opens the door to a pub named “Darcy’s.” He takes off his jacket as he walks in and slides onto a barstool.
“Evening,” the bartender says.
Eggsy stares and just manages to keep his mouth from dropping open. The man is beautiful. He’s older than Eggsy, close to Merlin’s age, and about Merlin’s height. He’s wearing blue trousers, a matching blue waistcoat, and a white dress shirt with the cuffs turned up to the forearm. He has impeccably styled dark hair and his brown eyes are warm. “I, uh, hey,” Eggsy says dumbly.
“What can I get for you?”
“Whatever it takes to get my boyfriend’s head outta his arse,” Eggsy says before he thinks. The man’s eyebrows raise. “I mean, pint is fine. Whatever you pull.”
“Coming up.” The man places the glass on a coaster in front of Eggsy. “My name’s Harry.”
“Eggsy.” Eggsy holds out a hand and the man shakes it.
“Interesting name.”
“My Da…he said I ate scrambled eggs for a week straight when I was three…started calling me Eggsy.”
“Cute,” the man says, and his beautiful smile makes Eggsy think he’s the cute one. “So, what do you do, Eggsy?”
“Tailor,” Eggsy says. “Kingsman?”
“Oh yes, I’ve admired their work many times. Not quite something I can afford,” Harry says with a shrug.
“Yeah, made me nervous cutting fabric there the first few times,” Eggsy says truthfully. “I love it, though. Learned so much, get to travel a lot for special requests.”
“I’m sure you’ve met very interesting people.”
“That’s the truth.”
“So, what does your boyfriend do?” Harry wipes the bar as he talks. The bar’s half empty and he doesn’t have much to do.
“He works there as well…IT stuff. He’s brilliant,” Eggsy says with a sigh.
“Apparently not, if his, what, ‘head is up his arse.’ Isn’t that what you said?”
“Yeah,” Eggsy chuckles. “He just…fuck. I mean, sorry. He had a rotten day and he warned me he might…sometimes the little ones and zeroes don’t line up right for him. He told me how to act when he gets this way, and when I do it, he pretty much tells me to fuck off.” Eggsy clears his throat. “Sorry.” He doesn’t mean to swear like a sailor; even though Harry’s just a bartender he has a debonair way about him.
“It’s fine, my boy. I use those words myself. So…you tried to console him and it didn’t work?”
“I tried to console him and he acted like a fucking prick,” Eggsy corrected.
“And now here you are with me. I must say…it’s my gain.” Harry winks at him and Eggsy gets lost in the brown eyes. Someone down the bar calls for a refill and Eggsy gets to watch the long legs stride down the narrow aisle behind the bar.
“Jesus fuck,” Eggsy says into his beer. He loves Merlin more than anything, but this man is his wettest dream come true. They’ve toyed around with the idea of a third in their relationship, and Harry ticks all of Eggsy’s boxes.
Harry soon comes back. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I did. That was flirting, and you are obviously taken. If you didn’t love your boyfriend so much, you wouldn’t be so concerned and upset.”
“Nah, that’s fine. At least someone wants to talk to me, even if it is just your job.” Eggsy smiles at him, feeling flattered. “And if I was single, I’d be with you in a heartbeat. You're right fit, bruv.”
“Thank you, Eggsy.” He refills Eggsy’s pint without asking. “So, tell me about this boyfriend of yours.”
Eggsy wanders home two hours later pleasantly tipsy and feeling a bit better about Merlin. He’d bent Harry’s ear talking nonstop about him, and Harry had joked and said if he wasn’t taken, he’d probably go after Merlin himself, Eggsy made him sound so good. Eggsy realizes he has to be a bit more patient with Merlin after missions such as this. Gawain had almost died under Merlin’s watch.
He tiptoes into the house and tries to be as silent as possible. He hangs up his coat and makes it up the stairs without hitting the creaky steps. He lets himself into the bedroom and sees Merlin’s form under the covers. Eggsy sighs and grabs his pajama bottoms before heading for the en suite. He grins as he turns on the light to find a piece of paper taped to the mirror. On it is a sad face and the words “I’m sorry” with Xs and Os at the bottom. He quickly brushes his teeth and uses the toilet before slowly sliding into bed. He snuggles up close to Merlin’s back and puts an arm around his waist. “Nah, babe,” he murmurs against Merlin’s neck. “I’m sorry. I was an arse, runnin’ out like that. Acted like a kid.”
“I love you,” Merlin whispers. “Thank you for trying to take care of me.”
“I love you, too.” Eggsy smiles as he feels Merlin’s hand pull him closer and he falls asleep pressed against Merlin’s back.
Eggsy stops by the bar three more times over the next two weeks, when Merlin’s held up at work and he has nothing else to do. He absolutely doesn’t admit to himself that he finds out when Harry’s nights off are, and makes sure to avoid the bar on those nights.
“Go. Home.” Percival stands with his palms flat on Merlin’s desk, leaning into his face. “If you do not obey me, Merlin, I will have you forcibly removed.”
“But Galahad is…”
“Galahad is in good hands with Morgana. Might I remind you that you’ve spent the last six years training her? She’s the best handler we have, after you. You signed a relationship agreement that states you will not handle Galahad’s missions unless it’s a dire emergency. This isn’t an emergency.”
“His comms went dark!”
“He’s in Russia, Merlin. There are a lot of places for things to go dark.” Percival raises an eyebrow and looks even more threatening than usual. “Are you officially disobeying a direct order from Arthur, Merlin?”
Merlin sighs. “No, I’m not. I apologize, Arthur. You’re right.”
“Go home, Merlin,” Percival says in a kinder tone. “He’ll be all right. He always is. Boy’s like a bad penny, always turns up.”
“I know.” Merlin rubs at his face. “I’m sorry, Percival.”
“It’s fine. As soon as he checks in I’ll make sure you’re notified.”
“Thank ye,” Merlin replies, knowing Percival doesn’t have to do any such thing.
He gets his things together and leaves HQ, staring off into space as he rides back to the shop. Once he gets there, he realizes he doesn’t want to go home. It will be empty without Eggsy. He’s used to Eggsy being away on missions, but this is different. He’s worried and hates not knowing his agent’s status. He wanders the streets a bit before entering a quiet little pub. Perhaps a drink or two will help settle his nerves.
“Evening,” the bartender says with a welcoming smile. “Welcome to Darcy’s.”
“Thank ye.” Merlin studies the man for a moment. He’s about his age, which is rare in a pub bartender, Merlin’s found. He has perfectly coiffed hair, deep brown eyes, and a slender waist that draws Merlin’s attention to the nice long legs. He orders a scotch and removes his coat.
“Long day?” The man asks.
“Aye, you could say that. Rough time at the office, and my partner dinnae come home from a work trip as expected.”
“Sorry to hear it,” the man says sympathetically.
“Appreciate it.”
“I know you think it’s my job to listen to people’s sob stories, but I don’t always care as much as I say I do.” The man smiles a bit. “You look exhausted, your very nice hazel eyes are filled with worry. I mean it. I’m sorry to hear it.”
“Well.” Merlin blushes. He’s not used to attractive men giving him compliments. He’s still not used to Eggsy giving him compliments. “You’re too kind…”
“Harry.”
“Merlin. Well, Ian, but everyone calls me Merlin.”
“You’re a magician? A wizard?”
“In front of a computer, yes. I can usually find my way around most problems.”
“That’s impressive. Those skills are usually reserved for the young. I’m glad to see someone of our generation doing well in that field.”
Merlin acknowledges him with a tip of his glass. “So…ye must hear some interesting stories here.”
“Oh, I do. Millennials.” Harry rolls his eyes. “Their First World problems are truly legendary. Someone didn’t give them a promotion. Their one night stand didn’t call back. Their hummus was too salty.” Merlin laughs out loud. “All right, perhaps I made that part up.” Harry gives him a charming wink and goes down the bar to wait on someone else.
He comes back and refills Merlin’s drink. “Have ye worked here long?”
“Since it opened. I’m the owner.”
“Impressive. I’ve always wanted to own a business,” Merlin confides.
“Computer business?”
“Nae…a bookstore,” Merlin says. “A cozy little shop with comfortable chairs to sit in, and perhaps a cat or two.”
“Sounds nice. Maybe when you retire.”
“I think I’ll die on the job,” Merlin says honestly. “It’s taken over my life.”
“I see. And what does your partner think of your job?”
“He understands, I think.”
“He’s a lucky man,” Harry says softly. “I’m married to the job myself. When you’re the owner, your problems never stop when you go home.”
“I bet.”
“But I love it. I like meeting nice people such as yourself.” Harry smiles at him and Merlin blushes again. “How long have you been with your partner?”
“About eight months,” Merlin says. He can’t keep the smile off his face. “I still cannae believe it.”
“Congratulations,” Harry says. “I myself don’t have time for a serious relationship, although I do miss it sometimes. Always nice to have someone to crawl into bed with after a late night at work.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Merlin says.
He stays at the bar until closing time, just talking to Harry as he cleans things up. He comes back the next night, and the next. He tells himself he’s just filling the empty hours until Eggsy returns, but he knows the truth. He’s enjoying the attentions of the handsome man behind the bar.
Eggsy steps out of the shop at midnight, smiling at the thought of Merlin curled up asleep in their bed. His hands ache to touch his boyfriend, but he’s wired and not at all ready to turn in. He’s not surprised when he finds himself heading for the pub and Harry.
“Eggsy!” Harry says with a delighted grin as soon as he sees him. “Long time no see. I thought you forgot about me.”
“Forget about you, bruv? Never.” Eggsy slides onto a stool. “Got time for one pint.”
“On the house.” Harry slides it in front of him.
“Had to go outta town for work. Didya miss me, Harry?”
“Of course I did, dear boy,” Harry says with a wink. “I might have found someone to take your place, though, while you were gone. He sat in that very same spot, actually.”
“Am I so easily replaced?” Eggsy gives an exaggerated pout.
“Just your place at the bar, Eggsy.” Harry puts his hand over his heart and Eggsy laughs.
He makes it home by two and quickly showers. He crawls into bed naked and presses his body against Merlin’s. “Love you, babe.”
Merlin quickly rolls over, surprising him. “Did ye really think I would fall asleep, lad?”
He’s naked as well and Eggsy couldn’t be more pleased. “Well, I know I’m pretty fucking happy you're awake.”
“I love you, my Eggsy.” Merlin pulls Eggsy into his arms and doesn’t give him a chance to reply.
He awakens hours later wrapped in Merlin’s arms. His body is sore and well-used…the best kind of ache. What’s also aching, however, is his heart. He cannot believe he stopped on the way home to see Harry instead of hurrying into bed with Merlin. When he turns and stretches, Merlin’s looking at him. “Are ye all right, lad?”
“Course I am…although you was a bit rough last night. Not that I’m complaining,” he says with a sly grin. “Gonna feel this all fucking day.”
“As long as I wasn’t too rough,” Merlin says. “I got carried away. I missed ye.”
“I missed you.” Eggsy kisses him.
“Ye were restless in your sleep. Ye tossed and turned all night.”
“Did I? I’m sorry.”
“Eggsy.” Merlin sits up. “I have something to confess to ye.”
Eggsy’s concerned by the anxiety in Merlin’s voice. He sits up and props himself against the headboard. “All right.”
“While ye were gone, I…I went out.”
“Nothing wrong with that.” Eggsy forces himself to remain calm.
“I will nae ever step out on ye, I think ye know that. Would never disrespect ye in that way. But I found someone and…and flirted with him. Quite often, I’m afraid.”
“Oh.”
“I told him about ye, an’ he knows how much I love ye, but still. I had to tell ye, because my actions…they were not at all honorable. I should nae act in such a manner when I have you in my heart.”
“Oh, babe.” Eggsy smiles tenderly at him. “We’ve always talked about sometime finding a third…you flirted. No crime there. We never said we’d find the third together.”
“All right.” Merlin heaves a sigh of relief. “I’ve been worried…felt so guilty.”
“My sweet Ian.” Eggsy hugs him. “While we’re clearing our consciences…I got something on mine. The night of Gawain’s mission when I stomped out of here like a stroppy brat, I…went and had a few drinks, an’ I flirted with someone, too. Went back and saw him more than once. Like you, I was up front about having someone. You're the love of my life…wouldn’t never cheat on you. But he…he was special, and I think he woulda gone for me, if I didn’t have you. He’s a great bloke.”
“Well, we’ve both found someone, and they’ve flirted back at us…” Merlin takes Eggsy’s hand and plays with it. “Perhaps we could investigate further, see what they think of the two of us together? If they’re nae interested, it’s no harm done.”
“Really?” Eggsy’s cock stirs with new interest. The thought of watching Merlin with Harry does things to him.
“Really.” Merlin kisses him. “I’m off until Friday, and so are ye. We’ll go out tonight and look for mine first. Age before beauty.”
“Ian,” Eggsy scoffs. He watches Merlin climb out of bed and head for the shower. Nothing’s more beautiful than that.
“So, I think you’ll like him,” Merlin says to Eggsy as they walk hand in hand down the pavement. “Actually, I KNOW ye will. He’s just your type…mature, handsome, tall, thin, smart.”
“Yeah, that’s definitely my ideal man.” Eggsy stands on tiptoe to kiss him. “Can’t imagine there’d be anyone more perfect for me than you.”
“Flattery will get ye everywhere, my Eggsy.” Merlin grins down at him, glad this is going so well. He’s had a few dreams about watching Eggsy with Harry, and they’ve all ended up with Merlin hard and moaning. “I’ve already told him how beautiful and perfect my partner is.”
“Aw, babe, you talking me up?” Eggsy grins with delight, his eyes sparkling. “Sweet.”
Eggsy stops short when Merlin reaches for the door of the pub. “Everything all right?” Merlin asks. “I know it does nae look like much, but it’s nice inside.”
“Yeah,” Eggsy says faintly, almost dragging his feet.
“I always sit here.” Merlin maneuvers Eggsy through the tables to the bar. “That’s him,” he whispers, taking Eggsy’s coat and laying it on the stool next to him. “The bartender. He’s the owner, too.”
“Fuck me,” Eggsy murmurs.
“Yes, he’s attractive,” Merlin says. He hadn’t expected quite that reaction. Eggsy looks absolutely stunned. “I mean, isn’t he?”
“Merlin! Hello.” Harry stares at them. “And Eggsy?”
Merlin looks from one to the other. “Lad?”
“Hello, Harry,” Eggsy says dumbly.
“You know each other?” Merlin asks at the same time Harry says “You’re together?”
“Give us a moment, Harry?” Eggsy finally says. Harry nods and steps away to wait on someone. “This…this the guy you was flirting with?”
“Well, yes. How do ye know him, lad?”
“He…Ian, Harry’s the bloke I’VE been flirting with.”
They stare at each other. “Well, I did say ye have a type,” Merlin manages.
“Yeah. Mature, handsome, tall, thin, smart,” Eggsy recites. “Told Harry all about you.”
“And I’ve gone on and on about ye.”
Eggsy shakes his head. “This is fucking insane.”
“Perhaps it’s fate.” Merlin takes Eggsy’s hand and kisses it.
Harry slowly returns. “May I get you something to drink?”
“Yeah, the usual, Harry.” Eggsy smiles at him. “Guess you know what that is for both of us.”
“I do.” Harry gets their drinks. “This is an interesting turn of events.”
“Aye,” Merlin says. “We’ve both talked about ye, Harry, nae realizing we were speaking of the same man.”
“Oh.” Harry’s cheeks turn a charming shade of pink. “You…you were talking about me?”
Eggsy and Merlin exchanges glances. “Oh yes,” Merlin finally says. He sees something spark in Harry’s eyes.
Eggsy’s hand finds Merlin’s thigh and squeezes it. “So, Harry…you ever get a night off?”
“I usually take off Thursdays when I can,” Harry says.
“That’s tomorrow,” Eggsy says and Harry nods. Eggsy looks at Merlin, who gives a slight tilt of the head. “Would ya like to go to dinner?”
“With…”
“Us. Both of us,” Eggsy says firmly.
Harry looks from Merlin to Eggsy and slowly starts to grin. “Yes. I believe I’d like that very much.” He’s called away to make drinks, a small smile on his face as he occasionally glances their way.
“Well.” Merlin leans in and nuzzles Eggsy’s neck before kissing him. “It looks like we have plans for dinner tomorrow.”
“Yes,” Eggsy says with a smile. “We most definitely do.”