Work Text:
The sound of a lock being picked is something that normal humans don't wake up to. Harry Hart, however, is no ordinary human. His eyes slam open and he's up on his feet in seconds, making a mental note to take Merlin up on his offer to spruce up his home security system. He grabs the gun from his bed side table and stalks down the stairs, for once not even bothering to sort out his messy curls or pull on a robe. Halfway down he spots the intruder, a young man. He seems used to home invasions, moving with ease into Harry's living room as he searches for valuables.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you", Harry says simply, the man turning around at the sound of his voice and the safety of his gun being released.
He lifts his hands up, eyes wide.
"Woah! Woah, woah, I don't want any trouble, put the gun down, please", comes the immediate plea in a delightfully rough accent.
"You broke into my home", Harry says, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, okay, fair", the man, boy really, amends, managing a small smile when he realises he isn't immediately going to get shot.
"Why?"
"I just... Gotta make money somehow, yeah? Got a baby sister to protect."
Harry stands still for a moment, taking in the man in front of him. Then, with a sigh, he lowers his gun and walks down the rest of the stairs, heading towards the kitchen.
"Come on", he says, looking over his shoulder and nodding towards the table.
"What?" the man gawks, bewildered.
"I'm making tea", Harry says, "Do you want food?"
"I'm not some charity case", the boy says, defensive now, and oh if Harry isn't immediately charmed by his attitude
"Certainly not. But you wanted to steal my cash and valuables, so I'd venture to guess you might be in need of some things. So, do you want food?"
"Nah, mum feeds me well."
Still, the man follows him to the room, hovering awkwardly at the doorway.
"That's good. So, sit down, I'll have the tea ready soon enough."
"What are you after? Just 'cause I was desperate enough to break into your house doesn't mean I'm desperate enough to let you fuck me", the boy says.
Harry huffs out a laugh, "Oh please, I am not that desperate for a shag."
"Besides, I prefer to be the one getting fucked", he says easily, pouring tea into two cups.
The man just stares at him, wide eyed and mouth hanging open, and Harry thinks briefly he might indeed be desperate to have this boy shag him.
After a while, Harry slides one mug across the table and the man eyes it like it might be poisoned. Finally he sits down and takes a sip.
"You always invite burglars in for tea?"
"I don't intend to make a habit out of it", Harry says as he sits down opposite him, "What's your name?"
The man hesitates for a moment, then says: "Eggsy."
"Don't ask, it's an old nickname", he adds quickly.
"Eggsy. Pleasure to meet you, I'm Harry", he introduces himself and adds sugar into his tea.
"You're a weird bloke", Eggsy states and Harry laughs.
"So I've been told."
Silence settles between them. Harry watches the young man over the rim of his mug, taking in his appearance. In his early twenties, he assesses, handsome and well built. Rough hands, calloused from not so honest work. Dressed in an awfully drab Adidas set. Tired eyes that still have a mischievous glint in them.
"You said you have a sister", Harry breaks the silence after a while.
Eggsy's posture stiffens, clearly ready to defend the little one with his life.
"I'm not telling you where she is."
"I wasn't going to ask."
"How old is she?"
"...Six."
Harry nods, "And your mother? You said she cooks for you."
Eggsy looks down into his tea.
"Depends on which day you catch her."
Harry nods again, a picture Eggsy's family forming in his mind.
"You should've called the police," Eggsy mutters after a while and Harry raises an eyebrow.
"When I broke in", he adds.
"If I'd done that, they would've arrested you."
"Exactly."
"I wasn't especially interested in having you arrested."
Eggsy frowns, suspicious.
"Why?"
"Forgive me for saying this, but you don't exactly scream dangerous criminal to me."
"You don't know anything about me."
"No," Harry agrees calmly, "But I know desperation when I see it. Desperation, not malice."
Eggsy scoffs, "You some kind of therapist?"
"No."
"Social worker?"
"No."
"Priest?"
Harry laughs, eyes crinkling, "Good heavens, no."
"Then what are you?"
Harry considers how to reply for a moment, then settles on: "A man who's made enough mistakes to recognize someone standing at the beginning of theirs."
Eggsy stares at him, a lopsided smile coming over his lips.
"You always talk in riddles?"
"Only before breakfast."
There's a moment of quiet again and curiously enough Harry finds he doesn't mind sitting in silence with Eggsy.
"I've a proposition", he says then, and adds; "Not a sexual one."
"Pity", Eggsy says and smirks fully now, catching Harry off guard and making him sputter into his tea.
"I'm not doing anything illegal", Eggsy adds.
"Interesting line to draw after breaking and entering."
"...Fair. I just mean, I ain't getting mixed up in any more criminal activities than I already am."
"A good principle to have", Harry says. He gets up and retrieves a tin of biscuits, guessing that the other is hungry even though he denied it earlier. Eggsy hesitates for all of a second before digging into the biscuits.
"Here's what I propose: you can either leave now with no consequences", Harry starts, "Or you can stay, have breakfast with me, tell me more about yourself, and perhaps I can offer you a job."
Eggsy narrows his eyes.
"What kind of job? What do you even do for a living?
"Oh, I'm a tailor", Harry says and Eggsy laughs.
"No you ain't, mate."
"Sure I am", Harry says, then winks; "On paper at least."
"I said I ain't doing anything illegal."
"What I'm proposing is perfectly legal."
"You're being very cryptic."
"Stay and you will find out more", Harry says and gets up again, going to get some bread. He holds up two pieces, cocking his head in a question as he reaches for the toaster.
Eggsy hesitates, then shrugs and nods. In for a penny, in for a pound.