[It's true, Eggsy likes Merlin when he gets a little bristly, when his chin is rough against Eggsy's skin, when the rasp of his stubble brings a dull red flush up along his neck and down his chest, but he knows full-well that Merlin has a wildly different opinion about his beard growth. So he's decided to shave him, to show off the skill he decided randomly to cultivate, the skill he'd spent the past three days shadowing barbers all around London to learn.

Hey, if he wasn't assigned a mission and Merlin wasn't around to convince to have sex with him, what else was he going to do?

He huffs a little sulkily and rolls his eyes, whipping out the razor he'd bought from one of the barbers he'd spent nearly nine hours with on the first day and flipping it back and forth across his knuckles in a show of dexterity that is supposed to translate to skill.]

Shut up and do as you're told. [He softens that remark with a kiss dropped to the top of Merlin's head before he meets his eyes in the mirror.] I swear on my mum I won't cut your throat.

[He sets the razor down and picks up the towel again, shaking it out pointedly.] Now lean your head back, the towel's getting cold.