Title: The Tech Man's Assistant
Paring: Eggsy Unwin X Reader
Warnings: none
Spoilers: none!
Authors note: GENDER NEUTRAL PRONOUNS -- SUITABLE FOR MALE AND FEMALE AND NB READERS!
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The first time you ran into him, you were in no way fit to greet anyone. As Merlin's shadow, you were supposed to stay and watch the way he worked at all times, and for once, you had broken that rule and strayed from his side in the control room. Your hair was awry from being awake for three days, reading glasses on the tip of your nose, and the baggiest jumper you could have possibly borrowed from your mentor's wardrobe.
At once, your cheeks had reddened, and the eyes of the candidate for the position of Lancelot seemed to dart all over your face, taking you in like a drink through a straw. But before he could get a good take on the zit by your hairline, you ducked back through the doorway you had escaped from, and bolted. If you'd stayed a few seconds longer, he might have introduced himself, or asked about your name or if you were running for the same position. But you didn't. You sat in the control room, staring at your unkempt reflection in the laptop screen, with codes needing to be processed.
He was gorgeous.
The second time you collided with him, in all senses. You had managed to freshen up, rest up, and a week later, you were standing in front of the candidates for Lancelot, explaining all of the things which they were to do for the intelligence activity. You couldn't help but stutter and splutter your words as you spoke them. It had been a while since you had been so publicly placed, and even though there were only six young men and the blonde, Roxy, you still had the fear grip you. God, you were turning twenty in three weeks, why hadn't the shyness shed off in time?
You're doing great, he mouths.
You hesitate. In all your life, as a young child and a seed planted to grow into the mastermind that you'd been manipulated into, there had never been anyone who had said those words. Never. It sort of confuses you, but from the side of the room, Merlin clears his throat. Over his glasses, he frowns, and at once, you go back to explaining the task at hand.
"I had to ask around, but it's hard to find out where the assistant to the tech man hangs out," you hear someone talk over your shoulder. In the reflection of the laptop, you see the face you were often daydreaming about sitting there. "Sorry if I'm interrupting or s-,"
You shake your head. "Not interrupting. I was actually going to get up," you smile. "So, uh, do you have a name, or do I just call you Handsome Face aloud?" As soon as the words leave your mouth, your face reddens.
"Handsome Face sounds great and all, but the name's Eggsy." he introduces. "And you are _______." He beams. "I asked Roxy. She said you an' her chat a bit."
You smile. "Yeah, a bit. So, Eggsy, if it isn't rude to ask, but why the interest in me?" you push your chair back, closing the laptop. The firewall you were coding wasn't nearly halfway through, and there was no way that you could focus on it with Eggsy so close. Dammit, you were a genius, not a hormonal mess. "I mean, there's plenty of other people who are more interesting than me, like Charlie, or -,"
It was that moment that you remembered your legs had gone numb hours ago, and standing on them was the wrong decision. At once it seemed like you were standing on jelly, and if anyone knows what that's like, you began to topple over, like a Jenga tower.
"Gotcha," Eggsy smiles. "Are you sure you're not needing a little more attention?"
You feel your face flush, but before you can answer, Merlin appears with a custom-made frown on his face. "________, you were required to see Arthur forty three minutes ago, let alone you, Eggsy, they're searching all and sundry to find you!" The bald bespectacled man cries. "Come on, the both of you. No more goggling at each other like children in love!"
You give Eggsy a small smile. "Maybe we can do this some other time?" You pick yourself out of his arms, and gathering your things, you go to follow your mentor.
The sun sets over the Kingsman Estate. All of your projects have been finalised or cleared, in all the weeks that have gone by, it means that there's only one more test for Eggsy to undergo. It was strange, being attached to someone. Being as brainy as you were meant people just weren't attracted to you, body or mind, when it was all preoccupied in creating a new form of mathematics applied to nanotechnological function in machinery. But Eggsy - he'd charmed you in ways you'd read in books.
"So, you always come out and see the sunset?" You turn and smile. He's wearing a simple jeans and a flannel, as opposed to the flashy streetwear or Kingsman clothes. "Cat got your tongue?"
You shake your head. "I never have the time to. I'm a busy girl, Eggsy. Always learning how to deconstruct and unfold the greatest mind in the organisation." You pause, watching Eggsy lower himself to sit beside you on the roofs edge. Over the past months - had it really almost been a year? - you couldn't help but admit that you had something in you that was undeniably attracted and very possibly in love with Eggsy Unwin. "Of course, you know that."
Eggsy nods.
Even with all your shyness and anxieties, it's now that you pick up something in him that makes you frown.
"What's wrong? You're usually merrier than this." You edge toward his side, and lay your head slowly upon his shoulder. "Come on. Tell your good pal _________ of your problems."
He looks to his hands. Then, "I'm not that sure I'm up to being a Kingsman, you know?" He takes a sharp breath, and adds, "And you're not my good pal, ________, you're like the only thing that's on my mind besides if my mum's alright and if I can pass whatever test this is and I might be in love with you?" He rushes.
You feel your face heat up. "I know a cure for that."
Eggsy laughs. "What, for my problems?"
You nod. "Yeah. It's called critical thinking. I'll help you with it later, but first...here's my prescription." He goes to frown but you interrupt his furrowed brow by leaning over and placing your lips upon his.
"Wow," Eggsy breathes.
You smirk. "I read somewhere that if you like someone you'd better make a move with them before they move on, Handsome Face."
Eggsy beams. "Too right, beautiful."