Love Me, Little Butterfly - KINGSMAN

May I Have this Dance?

One day before the dinner, Merlin hands us a dress and a suit to try on, both in satin blue. The dress is gorgeous. Not too revealing at the front, but backless and my leg is showing because of a slit on the right side. It is plain and yet extremely elegant. It fits perfectly. As I step out of the bathroom, my eyes fall on Harry, who is no less handsome in his customized suit. "Good lord, Harry, you look dashing." My boyfriend doesn't reply. Instead, he stands in front of me, mouth opened, and just stares. "Hello, earth to Harry Hart, are you alright?" Finally, he starts moving again. "S-So... gorgeous.", he stutters. Chuckling, I get closer and put my hand on his cheek. "Thank you, honey. You don't look too bad yourself, though." After just staring at me for a little while longer, Harry gets his things back together and, with a wide smile, walks to the other side of the room to turn on his old gramophone. He then moves back to me, offering me his hand. "May I have this dance?" Smiling like a lovestruck idiot, I accept his offer. "You may." Gently, Harry intertwines our fingers and places his other hand on my lower back, before he starts spinning me around to the beat of the music. This is not the first time that we dance together, but it is in private, and his light-footedness and the way he holds me, like a fragile flower who could break at any moment, are making my knees weak. "Why do you have to be such a gentleman, Harry?" I ask as one song finishes and the next begins. The new one is much more slower and easier, less spinning. It's made for couples to fall in love over and over again, with each single step. I lean my head against his chest and listen to his heartbeat, slow and steady, just as the beats from the song. It gives me a feeling of comfort and safety. "Because you wouldn't deserve it any other way, my darling. Lips pressed against my forehead, Harry seals his answer with a kiss. I look up at him and see the most beautiful smile on his face. "Why are you looking at me as if you were the happiest man on earth?", I ask. He pushes a strand of my hair behind my ear, lovingly caressing my face. "Because I am. You make me the happiest man in the entire universe, Jane." Then I get on my tiptoes and kiss him. And Harry pulls me close, so close I cannot breathe anymore, and we drown in each other.

In the end, I don't get to accompany my boyfriend to the gala dinner at Valentine's mansion. Just as we are about to leave, Merlin calls us to his office and tells us that he found my face in one of Valentine's records. The picture has been taken half a year ago, on one of my missions in Cuba. Apparently, there has been a spy who worked for Valentine that went unnoticed by our team. "You can't show up there, Percival, the risk of getting recognized is too high. Galahad has to go alone.", Merlin declares. "But..." I try to protest, but Harry puts a hand on my shoulder. "Darling, it's alright. I'll be fine, I promise." I swallow hard, before I take his hands in mine. "Okay. But I will watch the entire scene from nearby, and as soon as something goes wrong, I'll intervene." Merlin sighs. "Good. I'll call Valentine's secretary then and tell her Mr. DeVere will come alone, as his wife is unwell."

The dinner goes as planned, but it doesn't reveal as much information about Richmond Valentine as we hoped. The next day Harry, Arthur and I have lunch together in the big conference room and analyze the data and images Galahad could collect in the course of the evening.

"Valentine didn't let me out of his sight.", Harry complains. "All I got is this." He double taps on the left temple of his Kingsman glasses and a picture appears on a hidden screen on the wall in front of them. It shows Valentine's assistant with a book in her hand. "South Glade Mission Church" is the title of it. "It's a hate group, based in Kentucky. The FBI have been monitoring them for years.", my partner explains. "Do you think Valentine is a supporter?", wonders Arthur. "No, I doubt a direct connection, but I'll keep looking." Then Arthur shows us a report about the disappearing of the Scandinavian crown princess Tilde. The situation is becoming more serious every day.

In the afternoon, Eggsy has his penultimate exam. Tied to the tracks of an approaching train, he refuses to reveal Harry's identity and chooses to die for Kingsman. With this decision he passes the test. Proudly, Harry and I take him back to the base to inform Merlin about it and then watch Charlie failing. Merlin initiates the last phase and tells us that we have now 24 hours with our candidates before the final exam. As we are about to leave, Hamish calls out for my brother. "Eggsy. You should know your father reached this point." Both Harry and I flinch at this remark. "From now on, there are no safety nets, understood?"

While my partner teaches Eggsy everything about manners and how to become a gentleman, I first have a chat with Arthur and then help Merlin setting up everything for their last test. Done with that, I borrow his observation post and activate the bugging device in Harry's glasses. "True nobility is about being superior to your former self, not the person in front of you." my boyfriend tells my brother. By the look on Eggsy's face, I can tell he's quite impressed by this announcement. "Damn well said, Galahad." I say through the speakers into his earpiece. Harry chuckles and Eggsy stares at him confused. "What? Why are you laughing now?" "Are you heading for the tailor, Harry?" I keep going. "Yes, we'll be there in a minute. Care to join us?", he responds, confusing my poor brother even more. "What, who are you talking to? Harry? Harry!" But my boyfriend already stepped through the dressmaker's front door.

A few minutes later I join them in fitting room 3, where Harry is showing Eggsy our weapon arsenal. "Good afternoon, gentlemen.", I greet them with a smug smile. "Hello, darling.", Harry answers, while Eggsy seems to finally understand. "So, you were the one he was talking to previously." "Well deduced, Sherlock. So, do you like our toys, brother? All designed by our friend and genius, Agent Merlin." I take one of the poisoning pens and let it disappear in my pocket. Then, I grab two pistols, a hand grenade disguised as a lighter, and a new pair of high technology glasses. Eggsy watches me very carefully, while Harry is inspecting the new machine guns. "They're absolutely sick. Best aim ever, only a fool would miss their target with those ones.", I declare, walking up to him from behind. He sees my equipment. "Are you going somewhere?" I sigh. "Yes. Arthur wants me to shadow Valentine's assistant." I turn to Eggsy. "I'm sorry, Eggsy, but I won't be here for your final test." He nods, though I can see the disappointment in his eyes. "Hey, you're gonna nail it, little brother, okay? Harry's the best coach you can imagine, he'll get you through it." I give him a tight hug. Eggsy happily returns it. "Alright, thanks Jane. I'll make you proud." Smiling, I let go of him and give Harry a goodbye kiss. "Be careful.", he tells me before I make my way out of the room.