Chapter Text
The first time it happened, Henry thought nothing of it.
Of course in their one and a half year living together, things weren't always picture perfect. They knew that from the moment they settled in. They knew that them both having to work plus keeping their public image would sometimes affect their schedules and dates.
So when Alex decided to study after his classes and come home an hour later, Henry thought nothing of it. How could he anyway?
Alex came in their house, hyper energetic, considering the hour and kissed Henry, while David was bouncing around their legs.
"I'm..." A kiss. "So..." Another kiss. "Sorry... I just lost track of-"
"Love...it's fine." Henry nuzzled their noses together. "We can still watch that movie you know. You can go up to change clothes-"
"It's kind of late, isn't it? I mean I have to get up early..."
Henry was a bit disappointed, if he was honest. Not mad, but he really wanted two hours of Alex, laying on him and commenting on everything or take turns nagging about their day.
"But... Do you know what I think you and I would both enjoy right now?"
"What?"
"A good blowjob."
Henry rolled his eyes as he started laughing. "Why was I expecting anything else?"
"Say it."
"Say what?"
"Say Alex, love of my life, that's a fucking great idea."
"Dramatic much?"
Alex gasped (in a quite dramatic way) turning his back on Henry and going to leave the kitchen, before Henry wrapped him in his hug from behind.
"Alex, love of my life..." He smiled and kissed his shoulder. "That's a great idea."
"That's a 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 great idea!"
"I'm not saying that."
"Then so bad! No blowjob for you."
"That's a fucking great idea!" Henry yelled quickly. "You menace..."
"Great!" The brunette picked up his bag before walking out. "Get yourself hard cause I'm gonna--" Something was heard falling, and the blonde realized Alex must have tripped over something.
Henry muffled his laugh in their kitchen. Sometimes, he was really concerned about their neighbors. Sometimes...
"Alex, love, have you eaten?"
"What?"
"Have you eaten?" Henry yelled louder.
A short silence. "I'm...not that hungry now. I'll eat in a while."
Henry made a mental note to ask again later. There were leftovers from yesterday's pizza, plus Henry would cook something for him if he wanted.
But for now, his boyfriend had a fucking great idea. So Henry thought nothing.
The next time it happened, Henry thought almost nothing of it.
Alex had promised he would be home by eight so they could have dinner on a new restaurant that Pez had insisted on going. June would be coming to visit with Nora and Alex had absolutely no idea. Henry even wondered how the paparazzi missed it. So after his class, their gang would be almost complete. At least if Alex had returned home at eight.
"Jesus Alex..." Henry paced back and down, phone in hand. "It's almost nine and that's the third voicemail I'm leaving you. It would be nice y'know... Picking up. Informing me. We will miss the reservation."
Pez was observing him from a distance, fully dressed and with some sparkly glasses in hand. He was really debating on whether to speak.
"Did you two...fight?"
"No...but I predict we will. The moment he reaches home..."
"Oh shut up... The only reason two people that love each other as much as you two do, should fight is for the makeup sex that ensues afterwards."
"Pez... We've been on the shelter all morning. We've been working our asses off all week. And he promised-"
Suddenly there was a click on the door and Cash walked in, supporting a mid-conscious Alex who barely had the strength to keep his feet on the ground.
"Alex?"
"Alexander?"
The two men rushed next to him, Pez patting his cheek lightly and Henry rubbing their hands together.
"Love, can you hear me?" Henry kissed his hand before turning to Cash. "What happened?"
"He passed out on the way out of the library."
"Passed out?"
"H?" Alex fluttered his eyes. "I'm sorry... I told Cash it wasn't a big deal..."
"But then he passed out again. So I took him to the doctor's office."
Henry nodded. "What did the doctor say?"
"It was probably due to--" Cash mouthed 𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥.
"Alright, alright... Cash I can take it from here, thank you." The prince took Alex from Cash.
"Darling, I'm taking you to our room to rest, okay?"
"H, we'll miss the--"
"Uhh...it doesn't matter..." Pez didn't mention the girls were already there. "I'll get us another one."
"You two can go... I'll just sleep anyway."
"You're probably joking... Like I could convince Henry to leave you. Instead...you stay here and I...will go now." Pez picked up his feathery coat. "Night night."
"Goodnight." Henry smiled as the door closed and picked Alex up bridal style. "Try to rest, okay?" He said with a soft voice.
"Are you mad?" Alex almost whispered when they reached the bedroom.
"More upset that you didn't take care of yourself." He tugged him in. "Any chances you could skip tomorrow?"
"No way... Important stuff..."
"We've talked about this. Your health--"
"Henry--"
"Is more important."
"God... I knew that we would have this conversation... Just because I work a little too much sometimes,doesn't mean--"
"Why can't you just do as I say for once?" Henry said, defeated.
"You knew that before you even met me. My fame proceeded me."
"That you would be stubborn as hell? That I did..."
"Asshole."
"Jerk."
"Prick."
"Light of my eyes."
Alex was probably taken aback by this but managed to smile. "love of my life."
So Henry brought some food for him and Alex upstairs. After Alex devoured his whole plate, they ended up cuddling together, their upcoming fight already far away.
The next time...well, Henry had no time to think.
Alex was stressing about his classes all week and given the fact that Christmas were approaching, the mood inside the brownstone wasn't all holly jolly. Alex promised he would make it up on Thursday and apologized every time he wasn't home in time for lunch or movie nights. What was Thursday you might ask?
It was the one year anniversary of the New York LGBTQ youth shelter and Henry was more than pleased. Pez had really outdone himself with the decorations and the party. Henry had worked his ass off but compared to the people Pez had invited, his help was like a drop of water in the ocean.
So Henry decided to bring Alex. Some of the kids in the shelter were already obsessed with him (and Alex adored them as well, not that he would admit it) but it seemed like having Alex here would be the cherry on top of the cake. A cake with many actors, billionaires, singers, models, influencers and also royals. And Henry was proud. So fucking proud.
"Haz!" Pez made his way to the blonde quickly, suit sparkling under the dim lights backstage. The prince was peeking through the curtains where a millionaire was making a speech in front of the crowd. "Haz, where is Alexander?"
Henry only showed him their messages. One that Alex had sent half an hour ago saying he was on his way and then millions of Henry's.
"Don't tell me--"
"When is his turn to speak?"
"His turn to speak was two people before!"
"Fuck." Henry muttered under his breath. "We can tell Sharon to skip him again and then-"
"Is he... Fuck it...Is he even coming?"
"He promised me..." Henry stopped. His promise meant nothing right now. Not when he had to explain to so many people why Alex--
"Please welcome next, Mr. Alex Claremont Diaz." Sharon's voice was heard before they even realized the previous speech was over. People were clapping, cameras were rolling, some others cheered...
And Henry wished earth could swallow him whole.
Pez had lost his grace the moment of the announcement. Now he was just standing by, wishing Alex would appear on a magic carpet or something.
On the way Henry viewed it he had three options:
1: to let the crowd wait; insufficient and unnecessary. And until when?
2: say that Alex won't make it. It will probably end in conspiracies and gossip. Henry's family (except Bea and his mom of course) already thought his relationship wasn't gonna last, no need to fuel the fire.
3: tell them Alex is sick. He would tie Alex himself to keep him away from public appearances for a few days.
His body thought ahead of his mind when he made his way on stage, making the clapping stop.
"Hello and...good evening. As many of you already know, I'm... I'm Henry George Edward James Fox Mountchristen Windsor. I am definitely not Alex Claremont Diaz." A few laughs were heard at his attempt to break the ice. "But for now I'm--"
"--presenting your awesome boyfriend, I suppose." A voice was heard on stage behind him before everyone started clapping again. The first son stepped not that close to Henry as he started talking with his microphone.
"The thing is... Henry...I'm not going to say his whole title you know it..." More laughs at this. "Suggested to introduce me to you. But maybe there is a difference in the British introduction to the American one as there is... To everything." Alex's forehead was sweaty, Henry could tell because he was standing so close. His eyes were red, not that much, but they seemed tired. And his voice felt a bit shaky, as if he was running. "But it's fine. I mean we still debate on whether they are called ladybugs or...ladybirds but we can live with that."
Henry by now figured it would be better to smile a bit because he was just standing in concern (not good for pictures). Alex definitely didn't go home first, and definitely he had almost forgotten his entire speech, due to running.
"But no matter the differences between us, we have so many things in common. We care..."
𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘩𝘦? Henry's brain worked by itself.
"...We love, we need support when we fall and when we rise. That's what makes us people. That's what makes shelters like that unique and worthy fighting for. And the fact that so many people find comfort in a place like this, makes me prouder. For everyone participating and the founders, Percy Okonjo- where is...Pez!" The man appeared behind the curtains, pushing up a smile. "And of course, Henry. Whom I'm very grateful to call mine." Some of the people smiled or awed. "I think that whatever I might say here is nothing compared to everything these amazing kids can achieve. So... Here's to them. Thank you." Alex raised his hand as if he was making a toast and everyone clapped loudly.
When Pez stayed on stage to announce the next speech, Alex pulled Henry backstage to give him a passionate kiss.
"Hello, your royal highness."
"You didn't say the speech June wrote--"
"Honestly Wales, you are so fucking lucky I could speak after all that running."
"Which wouldn't happen if you were in time..."
Alex frowned. "Are we really having this conversation right now?"
"No...it's not the right place or time. We will have this conversation back home." Henry -coldly- gave him a kiss on the cheek as he moved towards the door.
"You are welcome..." Alex sighed before moving as well.
For the next two hours, Alex and Henry stayed apart. Not by choice, but Alex could swear Henry would walk away from the group of people he was speaking with when he would see Alex approaching. He tried to convince himself that it was not intentional. There was no way Henry could know where Alex would go next. But still.
Maybe it was just the fact that Alex wanted desperately to go back home and sleep till new year's Eve.
"Hey..." Pez appeared out of nowhere and locked elbows with Alex. "Do you mind if I steal him from you for a moment?" Three people the brunette was speaking with nodded no politely.
When the couple were far, Pez finally spoke.
"Alexander, go home."
Not that Alex didn't want to go, but Pez looked more as if he was begging him to leave so he wouldn't mess their party. More.
"Almost no one has left yet!"
"Alex dear, with all my love... You look like a zombie. And no. Not like a statement."
"Oh, wow, thank you...but Henry would absolutely kill me if I--"
"It was his idea. He is on the car already."
Henry. Leaving the shelter. On its first anniversary.
"Oh..." Alex bit his lip. "On a scale of one to ten, how screwed am I?"
Pez hesitated for a moment. "Umm... Oh, Sandra! Hello!" He moved towards a woman, planting kisses on her cheeks, completely avoiding the question.
Ten it is then.
Alex walked out of the building and headed towards the SUV when his phone buzzed for the first time with a headline.
𝘞𝘢𝘴 𝘈𝘭𝘦𝘹 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘻 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳?
Oh shit... They started hating early enough...
Alex sat next to Henry, the car door closing behind him. At first none of them spoke. Cash had already driven off and no one made an attempt to speak.
"How did the class go?" Henry spoke so softly he almost missed it.
"What?"
"Your classes. Everything good?"
"Y-yeah... All good." Alex looked at his direction but Henry had his eyes locked on his window. "The party was great. You outdid yourself."
"It was good."
"You are probably just saying that cause Americans celebrate differently..." Alex attempted to laugh but Henry just pushed up a smile for a few seconds. "Henry..."
The prince turned his head to mouth 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳. So Alex just sighed and closed his eyes, leaning against the car door.
They didn't speak more. Not until they said their good nights to Cash and walked in their shared home, David bouncing around Henry's feet.
"Now is it time for that conversation or not?"
"You are really looking forward to it..." Henry petted the beagle, not bothering to look behind him.
"Just...Fuck. Are you even in the mood to talk or I'm just getting fucking yelled at?"
Henry stopped bothering with the dog and turned to Alex. David kept walking around them slowly, as if he was trying to figure why his favorite people were cold.
"Did I yell at you?"
"You look like you want to."
"And it's not justified you think?"
"No... I mean- maybe it is. But if it's just yelling, spare me. I'm tired." Alex passed next to him to climb the stairs before stopping. "I didn't want to embarrass you today. And what I said are true. I love you. And I'm proud of you."
Only when Henry heard the footsteps getting further he raised his face. And only an hour later he found the courage to walk in their bedroom.
And Alex could swear he felt two hands motioning him on Henry's chest and a light kiss on his forehead.
"You are a pain in the arse sometimes but I love you too."