Chapter Text
"Alright you're free to go."
Eggsy gaped at the detective; a couple of minutes ago this man had been gleefully telling him that he'd be looking forward to 18 months for this, now he was holding the door open for him to leave.
"What?"
"You're free to go. No charges will be pressed."
"Well, alright. Good." Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth Eggsy promptly legged it, half expecting to get called back before he could make the entrance.
Make it he did though, blinking in the bright winter sunlight, his own dazed and confused look matching those of everyone he passed. He almost tripped over his own feet when someone called his name on the stairs:
"Eggsy." A statement not a question.
Eggsy spun around to see a man in an expensive looking suit lounging purposefully (if such a thing were even possible) against a wall he had already walked past.
The thing is; Eggsy's a pretty observant guy, even after the night he's had, he's certain that he would have noticed if he'd walked past anyone- especially this man who (as well as being fit as fuck) had an aura of power about him that demanded you're full attention- but he's sure there was no one on the stairs when he'd started down them. It's almost as if he materialised out of thin air.
"Who the hell are you?" was it his imagination or did a slight smirk cross the man's face after that question?
"Is that any way to talk to the person who saved you from going to prison?" the man pushes himself off of the wall, straightening up and looming closer.
"Thankyou." Eggsy huffed, "who the fuck are you?" The man did smile then. Eggsy wished he'd take off the sunglasses so he could tell whether it reached his eyes.
"Harry Hart. Can I buy you a drink?"
***
Harry watched indecision play over the young man's face; he was obviously torn between curiosity at this stranger who claimed to have bought his freedom and a natural fear of the potential danger (a perfectly reasonable response when in the presence of Satan himself). Harry's fingers itched to reach up and remove his sunglasses but he restrained himself- this was Eggsy's decision, if he wanted to know how the boy's mind worked he could not compel him in the same way he had all those people within the police station- and his patience was rewarded as the need for answers won out.
"Yeah, go on then."
They end up walking to The Black Knight- by Harry's standards not the nicest place but, as he told an apologetic Eggsy, he'd seen worse, much worse. He finds himself wanting to share these stories with his companion but now is not the time, later perhaps. For now they settle on opposite sides of a booth at the back (if the sun streaming through the window happens to hit Eggsy in a particularly flattering way then that is nobody's business but his.) with a couple of pints of Guinness and Harry allows Eggsy to dictate the conversation:
"Seriously mate, not that i don't appreciate it or nuthin', but who the hell are you and why would you wanna keep me out of prison?"
"I owe you."
"I don't even know you."
"None the less."
"Did you know my dad?" Eggsy tried, "Cause if this is you feeling guilty about his death and trying to make it up to me you're a bit late."
Harry thought of all the thousands of souls entering his realm every day- he felt each one but rarely got to meet any. There was a chance he had met Mr. Unwin at some point but it was unlikely and, of course, his soul may have gone elsewhere.
"No, I have never met your father."
"Then why?!" Eggsy cried, beginning to get desperate now.
"You didn't hit the fox." Harry put his half empty glass down and leaned forward slightly to further emphasise his point, "had you just ignored it and continued you wouldn't have been caught but you didn't. You chose to spare it's life and give up your freedom. Why?"
"How did you know that?" Eggsy asked, wide eyed.
"I was there."
"Shit you were? And you paid my bail?"
"Not many would have made that choice."
"Yeah, well, i ain't about to take an innocent life just to save my own skin."
"Foxes are considered vermin."
"Bollocks! What gives you the right to call another animal vermin? Ain't nothin' makes you better than them, just cause you got a fancy suit and a posh accent. Foxes are amazing animals! Did you know they're the only animal to live on every continent? And not just live, thrive? They're so adaptable they can live in any environment. You know who else does that? Humans." He sank back in his chair: all the strength seeming to leave him now that he'd made his point to the posh git. He hated people lke this: looking down their noses at everyone (no matter how good they looked in their bespoke suits).
"And bacteria."
"Huh?"
"Bacteria can exist in some of the most extreme conditions; from freezing to extreme heat. They're found everywhere."
Eggsy found a smile breaking over his face despite everything, he took anoher sip of his drink: "My point is we're not all that different from them. We're all just doing the best we can to survive- can't judge them for that."
"Well said. Unfortunately, not many would share that point of view."
Coincidentally (or perhaps not. Harry doesn't really beleve in such things), the doors slam open at that precise moment to allow entrance to four angry looking men who are clearly spoiling for a fight.
"What the fuck are you doing here?!" The leader screeches at Eggsy.
"Shit." is his muttered reply.
Harry turned to see Eggsy slouched down in his seat as if hoping to disappear into it, "friends of yours?"
"No, they're really not."
"Good."