Chapter Text
When Harry drops Eggsy off at the recruit dorm for the Lancelot trials, Eggsy has to do his best to ignore the posh bloke wandering around the other recruits. This is the best thing that's happened to him in his life so far, and he's not going to fuck it up by showing how messed up he really is.
The problem is that ghosts are fucking everywhere.
They also look almost exactly like everyone else, too. It's only through trial and error that he realized the differences and stopped talking to spirits on the streets or in the pub. When he was a kid, it was excusable. Imaginary friends weren't odd until you got older, and thankfully most of them understand that and let him be if there are others around. Some won't leave him alone.
It isn't all bad, though. As he tried to tell his mum when he was eight, his dad was one of those. (That, of course, didn't go over well. She sobbed and sent him to his room, which made him and Lee cry, even though he'd never seen his dad so much as frown before. Eggsy never talked about it again.) Lee was there when he decided to quit gymnastics, when he left the Marines, when he took the bad beatings for his mum. He keeps him company. He encourages him.
He's the reason Eggsy even trusted Harry, honestly. Lee smiled when he saw the man leaning against the wall, and although it disappeared when Harry talked about how much of a disappointment Eggsy was ('M very proud, Eggsy. Don' forget that, he said firmly, his hand hovering over his son's shoulder), it was back when the man took out Dean's goons (Watch this, he whispered gleefully). Even at the shop earlier, Lee looked at Harry fondly during his recruitment speech.
Lee also looked at Merlin fondly, Eggsy notes.
A good man, Lee says when he catches him looking. Tough bastard, but 'e means well.
Eggsy then glances meaningfully over at the other ghost, who is already looking at him.
James, codename Lancelot, Lee says as the ghost walks over, and isn't this fucking weird? At least the man doesn't look at him the way the other recruits do.
Lee, Lancelot says warmly. His lips don't quite match up, and Eggsy realizes that there's a thin line bisecting the man entirely. Is this little Eggsy?
Eggsy twitches.
All grown up, Lee says wistfully before getting more serious. 'M sorry to see you so soon, old friend.
Then Merlin's calling them to fall in, and Eggsy leaves the ghosts to catch up or whatever ghosts do when he's not around.