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[rickitikitarr]

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[rickitikitarr]

"If you're practicing self-disclosure, in the wake of your being outed, I have no confirmation but I suspect that Nina is a person who you should tell about it."

He says, particularly when he sees that smile.

"And let yourself be heroic."

[formerself]

He pulls a bit of a face at that. He's not a hero; at best, he's somebody who killed the right people at the right time.

"She, uh." He busies himself with the teapot for a few moments. "She already knows. I've got into this habit of makin' friends, lying, pissing them off later when I tell 'em the truth. I just wanted to - try, tellin' someone, straight off, who wasn't my inmate. So she asked what I did, an' I told her. Not loads, but...I didn't lie."

[rickitikitarr]

"Sucker for a pretty face."

He says, grinning.

"I have a dose of that."

[formerself]

Eggsy grins back, offering a bit of a 'yeah, you got me' expression.

"I s'pose. I'm not normally like that, swear to God, she's just - I dunno, she's just...nice."

[rickitikitarr]

"She's a vulnerable little thing with soft skin." He says, not lewdly, but shrewdly, with a grin on his face.

[formerself]

"Well, that just sounds fuckin' creepy," he points out. "I dunno. I know she's got other stuff going on. We talked about -- secrets, stuff like that. No specifics."

[rickitikitarr]

"It's a type! It's a weapon."

He promises, with a laugh.

"I'm glad she has you, you'll be good for her."

[formerself]

Eggsy scoffs.

"I think 'has me' is a bit strong. We're friends, that's all. I got her some decent clothes, we've hung out a bit. What'd she make of you?"

[rickitikitarr]

"I think I frightened her, poor thing."

It wouldn't be surprising; Ricki frightens a lot of people, once they understand him.

[formerself]

"Well, that's what you get for callin' someone a vulnerable little thing with soft skin," Eggsy says, entirely aware that he did not actually do that. "You are shit at talkin' to girls. Seriously, though, you told her about your work?"

Because 'scalphunter' is not a term designed to invest people with confidence and warmth either.

[rickitikitarr]

"I absolutely did."

Mouth twitching in a smile.

"I'm working on my honesty, after all."

He's cat and mousing her, just as sure as she is lying her head off to him.

[formerself]

"Yeah. S'pose that makes two of us, now."

He pours their cups of tea and holds one out to Ricki. "Here."

Unsolicited cups of tea are really the best way he can think of right now to express his immense gratitude for having company.

[rickitikitarr]

Ricki grins, and sips his, sinking low into a seat.

"So I also can't help but notice that you've got a bedmate."

[formerself]

Eggsy actually blushes.

"Um. Yeah. It's...it's really not what it looks like."

[rickitikitarr]

"I'd actually guessed that. Max is a little crackers to be putting out. But what is it?"

He can't help but wonder.

[formerself]

Which makes two of them.

"If I knew, I'd tell you? I -- neither of us sleep all that great on our own, so. This sort of. Started happening. Couple months back."

It's practical....?

[rickitikitarr]

"He's a very nice, very strange man. I think I'm pleased- he's as protective as a wolverine, and a feral one at that."

So should be around Eggsy always, obviously.

[formerself]

Eggsy twitches a smile. 'Feral wolverine' is the kind of terminology he should probably be discouraging, but he honestly can't deny it, so.

"Don't tell anyone I told you that. Or him, actually. I think he'd rather people just assume we're shagging."

To be perfectly honest, he'd prefer that as well.

[rickitikitarr]

"Mum's the word."

He promises, with a smile, and a sip of his tea.

"So. Harry."

[formerself]

"Mmph."

He takes a gulp of tea.

"It was...weird. He was on the plane to Kentucky when he picked up."

So, a matter of hours away from his own grotesquely violent swansong.

"Last thing he knew was yelling at me because I failed the last test. Telling me he'd fix it. Seemed like he'd calmed down a bit on the flight over."

[rickitikitarr]

"God, so you couldn't-"

Oh no.

"I'm sorry, darling. That's just another kind of torture, isn't it?"

[formerself]

Eggsy shakes his head. It's like he said - he has no idea how he feels. Not a clue.

"Told him I'd fix it. He didn't know what I was on about, not exactly - 'course he didn't - but...I dunno. I got to ask him about my dad, at least. Mum never likes to talk about him."

[rickitikitarr]

"Yeah? Tell me."

He wonders, settling back, adjusting to get more comfortable.

"What was he like?"

[formerself]

Eggsy frowns.

"Kind, honest, hard-working. Wanted what was best for me. All that sort of - I don't think he really knew him. Shouldn't have expected anything else. I've always wanted to know stuff like - I dunno, who he was as a person. The team he supported, the kind of music he listened to, all that. Kind of stuff Mum would know, but whenever I ask she gets this look on her face..."

He shakes his head.

"I don't wanna hurt her. Maybe it'll be easier once my stepdad's out the picture."

[rickitikitarr]

"Maybe you can find him in papers. Old footage. Yearbooks. You can spot a friend of his in those and use your agency to hunt them down; as an old mate what he was like."

Is Ricki's predictable, intelligence-gathering perspective.