#half joking here now more than ever i'm curious about her background.

[hesperidia]

The Naomi reveal was the most important thing of the chapter for me, because it's a loose end tied up. We suspected her and Tanizaki weren't related now it's confirmed.

Thinking about it she has to be related to someone important enough, or she has to have an useful enough skill/hold some kind of important information. Why would there be a reason for her to be hidden away/her to choose to run away with junichiro/ to join the ada and being ""protected"" by fukuzawa and the others in some sense etc etc. where is my Naomi centric light novel i need answers

[darcyfirth]

I'm going to play the prize ball dispenser machine 'caude I loved the last one. So... 15 for Hartwin pretty please? ❤

read it on ao3.

Eggsy shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his shoulders rigid and still like a wall, his palms clammy and only a little bit shaky. Around him, people were either mumbling about how they missed their mums or giggling excessively. The heavy head on his right shoulder, though, was hot and would probably be the leading cause for his impending heart-attack. He sighed and checked his watch, careful to not jiggle his arm too much, to see it was only half past eleven.

Boasters, the lot of them, Eggsy thought, and I’ll never let these fools forget about it.  

Usually, in the history book of tragic events, every bad idea was started as a joke. A dare, in their case. One moment it was Merlin’s out-of-the-blue claim that he could withstand at least six glasses before losing consciousness. The next was Percival’s derisive snort and his clearly worded “as if you could” and now all seven - Dagonet was just an unsuspected casualty - of them were moving two tables together at The Black Prince, because what else could a bunch of bored spies do to spend their free time on a Friday night?

However, merely chugging down beer was scarcely regarded of as entertaining. “Therefore,” Roxy had decided, “we should play games, you know, something simple to take the edge off first, and see how it goes.”

Eggsy volunteered to order them the first round of Gin and Tonic and after he had brought all seven glasses to the table, came to a bitter realisation that the only empty seat left was between Dagonet and Roxy. His Harry, no, only Harry, had happily settled himself at the head of the their makeshift table and was idly reading something decidedly less interesting than Eggsy on his mobile.

The edge, it seemed, was actually never taken off.

Because their very first attempt of playing a fun drinking game was Truth or Dare, and regrettably turned into Truth or Drink without a single protest, which prompted Merlin to nearly annihilated everyone else. He was their handler and the only person with unlimited access to personal information after all.

Eggsy angrily sipped after Merlin’s question, “Who here would you most like to see naked?”

Their second and third rounds were sponsored by Harry, whose choices were Martinis - he and Eggsy exchanged secretive smirks at this - and surprisingly enough, Cosmopolitans. “They’re pretty to look at,” he shrugged. Like you, Eggsy’s traitorous mouth almost added. He prevented it by gluing his lips on the rim of his glass, there was a time and place for it, hopefully.  

They played Heads or Tails and a few matches of tippy cup after that. Eventually, Merlin stood up and declared it was long overdue for the actual challenge that sparked the night’s events. He waved the bartender and once he had the man’s attention, announced, “Thirty-five tequila shots! Please!” and sat back under the dubious glances from his colleagues.

The man is insane, Eggsy gasped and darted his eyes to Harry’s direction, a blessed reflex, and saw him give him a wink.

“He’s like that,” Harry mouthed.

Eggsy giggled and that singular action somehow made Harry’s grin grew a fraction wider.

“Never have I ever,” Roxy chirped once everyone had had their shots delivered.

Several assenting grumbles sounded, Percival just glared at Merlin and said, “Sure.”

They went clockwise, starting at Roxy who was sitting on Eggsy’s right, and ending at Merlin, who was playing third wheel in seat next to James and Percival.

Roxy whose sense of self-preservation was virtually non-existent, said with an air of mock solemnity, “Never have I ever carried a dog during my training.”

With a sigh, Eggsy took his first shot, feeling the alcohol making its way down his throat like liquid fire burning every inch of his insides, and made eye contact with Harry, who also downed his glass in one go.

“Never have I ever made out with one of my colleagues,” Eggsy said with abandon and sat back to watch Roxy, Percival, James, and Dagonet begrudgingly drank their first shots.

“Never have I ever dreamt of anyone at this table,” said Dagonet, and mercilessly appended, “in a biblical sense.”

Eggsy, James, Harry, Eggsy noted with interest, and Percival all drank.

“Never have I ever cried while watching Titanic,” mused Harry, earning himself glares from the rest, who raised his eyebrows and chuckled, “Really? All of you? I’d never guess.”

After that, all hell broke loose.

“Never have I ever had a crush on a recruit,” said Percival smugly. This smugness blossomed into a full-fledge evil villain grin when he watched Harry gulp down his drink. Dagonet also followed suit, sensing the questions from the younger agents, he said shyly, “My wife.” They had been married for twenty years.

James chimed almost immediately, “Never have I ever gushed extensively at my friends about my crush on someone at this table.” It was an oddly specific thing to say, even more curious, only Harry and Eggsy were the only two people drinking this time.

As if a pause would be detrimental to their enjoyment, Merlin quickly said, “Never have I ever wished that crush grew into something more serious, say, a relationship.” And he rested his face on his palm to watch Arthur and Galahad drink before signalling the bartender for three more rounds of tequila.

Unbuttoning the buttons of his t-shirt for ease of breathing, Eggsy was beginning to hatch his escape plan. As a side note, he found himself emotionally invested in the new facts he had gathered about Harry tonight. So Harry had had a crush on someone presently sitting here, at this table, and even told his friends about it, he even wanted more. Normally Eggsy’s brilliant brain would be able to connect the dots in no time, but he felt a little sluggish after four? five? drinks now.

He excused himself to the bathroom, no one deemed it worthy of an answer or a grunt, and so he went.

When he got back, the seating order had changed drastically as well as his friends’ sobriety.

James was now snoozing lightly on his husband’s shoulder, drooling a bit on the thousand pounds suit, but Percy paid it no mind. Next to him, Merlin was doing a tremendous job of holding himself together, his glasses forgotten and his sleeves rolled up.

Dagonet had moved to Roxy’s empty chair, chatting pleasantly with Harry who was in Eggsy’s previous seat. He shot Eggsy a bemused look when Eggsy came to sit down on his left.

“Where’s Roxy?” asked Eggsy.

“Ladies’ room,” replied Harry, leaning closer, blatantly trespassing Eggsy’s personal space, to make sure his words were clear and heard in the noisy pub.

They picked up after Roxy returned, face cleaned of makeup and even a little wet, her suit jacket hanging on her arm and tie loosed.

Anti-clockwise this time, and started at Roxy again.

“Never have I ever kissed both boys and girls.”

Except for Merlin and Roxy, all of them drank. Eggsy sneaked a glance at Harry, who was looking straight ahead with a well-practiced poker face.

Harry’s kissed a boy! Boys! A man. Some man! What man? Who? Eggsy’s brain was overworking itself now, his throat felt dry all of a sudden.

In possession of a burst of bravery, Eggsy blurted, “Never have I ever seduced a person of the same sex.” And almost congratulated himself upon witnessing Harry’s calmly drinking his glass until he saw Roxy’s judgemental eyebrow quirk. Their silent exchange went unnoticed as everyone else was busy with their drink, and because the two challengers had waved their metaphorical white flags almost right after it.

This brought Eggsy back to the aforementioned situation, one in which he had to keep his shoulder unmoving despite the fuzzy sensation in his head. He hiccuped, looked down worriedly to check, and sighed in relief when Harry’s head was resting peacefully on him.

The occupied space on his right warmed up like a kindling fire, a surge of affection overwhelming his heart and Eggsy raised a tentative hand to brush back an errant lock of Harry’s curly hair. His fingers stayed longer than strictly needed, but he knew no one would remember, and hoped that he would, against all odds.      

“That felt nice,” mumbled Harry.

Eggsy startled and whispered a soft, “What?” and jerked his hand back reflexively when it was caught by Harry’s larger one.

“Your fingers in my hair. Feels very nice,” the head on his shoulder said.

Swallowing his entire tongue, he asked, “Are you sober?”

“I’m moderately functional.” There was a hint of a smile there. The head nuzzled closer and hot, tempting breaths reached Eggsy’s neck.

Harry continued, knew not of the tiny earthquake he had a hand in the making, “And I know, Eggsy.”

Eggsy near-shivered, hands and heart felt like they had been violently stabbed by the manifestation of his regrets and self-doubt. He could only wish for Harry forgetting everything come tomorrow.

“In fact, I think you do too.”

Eggsy didn’t response, so Harry filled in the silence himself, “That you’re the only one who’s been occupying my head. Constantly. Always. My thoughts always come back to you.”

“Harry,” Eggsy choked back a gasp.

Lifting his his head, a precious thing, a beautiful thing, at last, Harry looked at Eggsy with clear-glass eyes, not a hint of intoxication hiding behind them.

Amidst the buzzing noise and colours which seemed to fade into a black-and-white background, Harry reached out to smooth Eggsy’s collars, said gently, “And I promise to cease doing so if it is not something you want.”  

“Don’t you dare,” Eggsy croaked. He’d not let himself be reduced to begging.

And since he was never good with words, Eggsy grabbed hold of Harry’s befuddled face and brought their lips together because he needed to, because it was never too late, and because they had paid their due.

And Harry pressed back, sighing into the kiss, opening his heart to receive Eggsy’s feelings, and monopolising the entirety of Eggsy’s heart at the same time.

Someone in the background let out a loud whoop and came a ‘yes!’ from a voice which sounded suspiciously like Roxy’s.  

But Eggsy’s sole focus was on Harry and his lips.

Harry asked between kisses, “Is this your confirmation then?”

“It.” Kiss. “Is.” Kiss. “For everything now.” Kiss. “And for everything in the future.”

Harry smiled, eyes twinkling with mirth, “Don’t forget the in-betweens.”

Eggsy’s heart was unbearably full, “How could I ever?”

Kiss. Kiss. Kiss.  

dialogue writing prompts