Carbon Dust

by starry_pisces

Summary:

He can’t believe he’s doing this.

He can’t believe he’s doing this.

How he went from searching for art models to an an escort site, he’ll never fucking know. All Alex knows is now he’s reading about Edward Windsor, a male escort with his own website: Windsor Escort Service.

Notes:

content warning: this story involves discussions of sex work, being an escort, as well as Henry taking female clients. if you think that is going to bother you, I wouldn't recommend this particular story. also mind the tags.

He can’t believe he’s doing this.

He can’t believe he’s doing this.

How he went from searching for art models to an escort site, he’ll never fucking know. All Alex knows is now he’s reading about Edward Windsor, a male escort with his own website: Windsor Escort Service. His services ranged from being a stand in at family events to “the full date experience”. His prices per hour varied depending on the service, and while Alex had no basis for how much sex work usually cost, Edward Windsor seemed pretty damn sure of his abilities.

“I am not going to hire a sex worker,” he mumbled to himself as he moved his mouse towards the little ‘x’, preparing to leave the site. Something stopped him, though. He couldn’t do it. Instead he clicked back to the site, navigating to the Photos section.

They weren’t necessarily professionally taken, but were well edited. Edward’s face, as well as any of his companions, was blurred beyond recognition. Still, you could get a sense of his height, his build, his soft looking blond hair. He was well dressed, always in something tailored or designer, whether that be a full suit, a tux, or khakis and a button down for a more relaxed look. But it was his hands that really cinched it for him.

Delicately holding the stem of a champagne glass, wrapped around a mini golf putter, holding the dip of the waist of his companions, his hands were beautiful.

“Fuck, I’m going to hire a sex worker, aren’t I?” Alex sighed as he ran his hands through his curls and looked for the Contact Me tab.

The buzzer to his apartment echoed, and he practically sprinted to the call box.

“Hello?” he asked, even though there was only one other person it could be.

“Hello darling, it’s Edward. May I come up?”

Holy shit, he’s British.

“Yeah, hang on, just a sec,” Alex called back before buzzing him in.

How the hell was he going to survive with a hot British man in his apartment? He looked around, biting his lip nervously. He hoped he’d cleaned enough. He hoped Edward liked the snacks he’d bought. Fuck, would he hate the tea? He had no idea if British people liked sweet tea. He should have stuck with lemonade or coffee or something else.

A loud knock made him jump about a mile, and he took a slightly shuddering deep breath before walking over and opening the door.

To say he was floored was the understatement of the fucking century. The man in front of him couldn’t have been a man. There was no way. No, he was some kind of reincarnated sex god with eyes a shade of sapphire that Alex had never seen and lips so fucking pink and pouty he wanted to bite them. Jesus, he needed to get a grip.

And then Edward smiled at him, and he really needed to chill the fuck out.

“Hello darling,” he said in greeting, and Alex swallowed noisily before holding a hand out.

“Hey, Alex,” he introduced, and Edward gave him a funny, slightly confused look before taking the offered hand and giving it a firm shake. His fingertips brushed against the inside of Alex’s wrist as they pulled away, and Alex had to suppress a shiver. “Thanks for coming over on such short notice.”

“Yes, I don’t normally take same week bookings,” Edward replied. “But your offer was intriguing, to say the least.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you don’t get asked to model a lot,” Alex said with a chuckle before stepping aside. “Come on in.”

Edward stepped inside and looked around, and Alex felt suddenly ashamed of his small one bedroom. It was an open layout, and the windows were large and let in plenty of light, but it was still small. He was glad they wouldn’t be going into his bedroom, where everything looked even smaller. Alex followed Edward into his living space, watching as he looked down at the slightly crowded coffee table. He raised an eyebrow, and Alex cleared his throat, bringing his attention back to him.

“So I’m, like, really bad at drawing hands,” Alex said bluntly, unable to stop the slight blush on his cheeks. “So I was going to have you just hold some stuff for me while I draw. Is that cool?”

“Absolutely,” Edward said with a nod, though there was something funny about the smirk on his face. Something playful, and… sensual? “Of course, there’s a bit of housekeeping before we begin.”

“Housekeeping?” Alex asked, and Edward nodded once more before reaching into his pocket and pulling out- “I’m sorry, is that a glove?”

“It’s standard procedure, I can assure you,” Edward said as he strode forward. “Safety first, you know.”

“Safety,” Alex repeated with a frown as he moved closer. “I’m, uh, I’m confused?”

Edward stopped in front of him and sighed heavily, as if he was annoyed at Alex’s lack of understanding. Alex didn’t particularly like feeling stupid, but in this instance it couldn’t seem to be helped.

“Alexander, I’m all for keeping the fantasy alive, and I can promise that once I’m done we can pick it back up, but I’m afraid this is non-negotiable,” he said, speaking slightly slower, as if trying to make sure Alex understood his words. “Now, if you’ll please pull down your joggers-”

“Excuse the fuck out of you?” Alex gasped, eyes wide. “Why the hell do you need to see my dick if I’m drawing your hands!”

Edward frowned as he looked down at Alex, and something like understanding began to form in his eyes.

“You… you really just want to draw my hands?” he asked, and Alex nodded quickly.

“Yeah! What did you think-”

“I’m an escort, Alex! What else would I think when a man approaches me and asks me to ‘model’ for him?” he hollered, using his fingers to make quotes around the word.

Alex gasped as his brain finally caught up to him, and he quickly shook his head.

“Oh my god! Edward, Mr. Windsor, I’m actually an artist and I actually need a model! This isn’t some kind of fantasy, I’m genuinely a fine arts student who needs to work on his shit. I am so sorry if I didn’t make myself clear in my first email!”

Edward’s face was now beet red, and Alex was sure his own was probably on fire. He quickly stuffed the blue medical glove back in his pocket and raked a hand through his hair, disturbing the perfectly gelled look. Of course, because he was some kind of succubus with supernatural sexy powers, all that did was muss it up and make it look even hotter than before, which was not sitting well with Alex’s bisexual tendencies. He began to pace a bit between the couch and Alex, a small area to cover, and bit his lip.

“I am so sorry Alex,” he said vehemently. “I generally make a point to be much more straightforward in my correspondence with clients, but you seemed so into the whole artist and model thing, and you were willing to pay my fee, I thought I’d play into it for you and make it enjoyable, especially since you were a first time client, and good Lord I seem to be breaking all kinds of rules for you-”

“Hey, Edward,” Alex said loudly, interrupting the man’s obvious downward spiral. “Breathe,” he instructed, giving him what he hoped was an encouraging smile. “Yeah, this was awkward as hell, but now that we’re on the same page we can just go on like normal!”

Edward blinked at him for a moment. He seemed to be trying to wrap his head around the whole thing.

“Alex, you are aware that I’m a sex worker, yes?” he asked, and Alex snorted.

“I was aware of that before I emailed you, sweetheart,” he answered, the pet name just slipping out. Edward’s face went impossibly pinker, and Alex had to ignore that in favor of his sanity.

“And you’re okay with that?” the man continued.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” Alex asked. “We’ve already established that I didn’t hire you for sex, I hired you to model.”

“My hands,” Edward replied, and Alex nodded.

“Yup.”

“Holding things.”

“Yup.”

“You don’t want me to undress for you?”

“Nope. Just sit there and look pretty,” Alex said before tilting his head a touch and looking the man over. “Although you can take your jacket off, if you want. You’re gonna be here a while and I want you to be comfortable.”

Edward looked down at his suit jacket then back up at Alex before giving a small, almost nervous smile, a massive swerve from the confident man that had swaggered into his apartment mere minutes before.

“Alright,” he said as he unbuttoned the jacket and draped it over the back of one of Alex’s kitchen chairs. “But I'm cutting the price in half, you know.”

“Oh no, you don't have to do that,” Alex said, but Edward held up a hand to stop him.

“I insist, darling. I don't know how an art student was going to afford my original asking price anyway, but as it is, there's no need to pay for services you won't be receiving.”

Alex sighed heavily as he watched Edward move to the couch.

“Do you want anything? A snack? I made some sweet tea, but I honestly don’t know if you’re gonna like it,” he admitted with a chagrined smirk. Edward just raised an eyebrow.

“Sweet tea like what they serve in the South?” he asked, then winced at Alex’s nod. “I’ll stick with water, love. Thank you though.”

“I mean, I still have some tea bags,” Alex said as he walked into the kitchen and opened his cabinet to grab the box. “It’s just black tea, nothing fancy. Or is it, like, rude to assume you like hot tea?” he added as he looked over his counter at the man. Edward smiled wide.

“I wouldn’t say no to hot tea, actually,” he said. “I do, unfortunately, fall into that particular stereotype.”

Alex smiled as he pulled out his kettle, thankful that June was a frequent enough visitor for him to actually own one. He had a feeling that microwaving the water would have given the man a heart attack.

“Milk and sugar?” Alex asked a few minutes later, once the water had come to a boil and he’d put in the tea bag, and at Edward’s affirmative, splashed a bit of the milk and put a heaping spoonful of the sugar in, stirring carefully, before bringing it over.

He set it on the coffee table, tea bag still hanging over the side, and grabbed the drawing pad and tin box holding his charcoal. He plopped onto the beanbag chair to the right of the couch, ignoring Edward’s slightly surprised look.

“Okay, so first I’m going to just draw your hands as they are. I may have you hold them in certain positions, and if your hand starts cramping or something, let me know. Then I’ll have you hold some of these things and we’ll go from there.” He paused and nearly winced. “Uh, if you don’t want to be here for two hours like we’d discussed, we can stop after an hour? Especially since you’re going to try and cut me a deal on the price.”

“Alex, this is the easiest job I’ve taken in a long time,” Edward insisted. “Sitting for two hours while you draw? I can’t imagine anything easier. We’ll stick with our scheduled time, unless you feel like you’ve completed your tasks before two hours are up.”

“Nah, I’ll be scribbling till the last second,” Alex said with a chuckle. “Do you care if I put on some music?”

“It’s your apartment, darling,” Edward pointed out. “Do what you’d like.”

Alex just grinned and pulled up his Carbon Dust playlist on Spotify before connecting it to his speakers and making sure it played low. Edward quirked a brow as the beginning notes to a classical piece began to play, but before he could say anything Alex cleared his throat.

“Okay, lean forward and just, like, loosely clasp your hands together. Elbows resting on your legs. Yes, perfect, don’t move.”

Edward stayed still as Alex opened his pad to a clean page and popped the lid on his tin. He carefully unwrapped a stick of charcoal from the protective paper enveloping it. He began to carefully sharpen it with the little sandpaper square in the tin when the man on the couch made a surprised noise. Alex looked up and frowned.

“What’s up?” he asked. To his credit, Edward hadn’t moved his hands, though he was looking over at the speaker as the music played.

“What is this?” he asked. “I thought it was going to be something else entirely!”

Alex grinned as he listened to the strains of Für Elise play, now heavily distorted with bass.

“So I kind of can’t stand silence,” Alex began as he set the tin down and adjusted the pad in his lap. “So I listen to a lot of music. Especially when I’m arting. But to me, each kind of medium needs it’s own sound. So I have different playlists for the different mediums I use. This is the one I have for my charcoals.”

“But bastardizing classical music?” Edward asked, sounding playfully incredulous, and Alex couldn’t stop his laughter.

“Why not?” Alex returns as he begins to sketch. “It’s beautiful music, it’s got a good beat, it’s interesting. And haven’t we bastardized all kinds of shit for the sake of music anyway? I mean shit, one of the greatest jazz concertos ever composed was turned into a fucking commercial! I think we can forgive someone for borrowing one of Beethoven’s greatest works.”

He worked as he spoke, eyes flitting from Edward's clasped hands and back to his paper over and over, working to try and capture the complex anatomy.

“You sound rather passionate about music,” Edward commented, and Alex smirked as he smudged a line with his finger.

“Just passionate in general, I guess. My sister likes to say I have a fire lit under my ass for no good reason, but I kind of resent that. If it's something you feel deeply about, it's not for no good reason. That is the reason, you know?” He looked up at Edward’s face for a moment, unable to discern the look on his face, before biting his lip and looking back down at his pad.

“So why electro classical?” Edward asked after a few moments, and Alex grinned at himself.

“I can't fully explain it,” he said, though he was gonna try anyway. “It's the vibe I get from charcoal.” He held up the Nitram stick for a moment, looking between it and Edward. “This is one of the oldest mediums in the world, you know? It’s timeless. There's a gravity to it. There's weight.

“But it can also be incredibly versatile. It’s malleable. I mean, not literally. Some of it is pretty fucking brittle. But even if I snap this in half, those halves are still usable.

“Classical music, at least to me, is timeless in the way that charcoal is. Sure, if you study it you can tell when certain compositions were created, you can identify trends in the music that were popular in that year, but the same can be said for art. The meaning behind it, though? It’s all the same: the desire to express yourself in a way that goes beyond.”

He stopped and blushed lightly as he set the charcoal down, looking away abashedly.

“Shit, I'm getting off track. The point I'm trying to make is that classical music, while timeless, is also versatile. Like charcoal, it can be malleable. And some people are pretty damn talented when it comes to tweaking existing compositions.”

He finished his sketch and frowned, not fully happy with how it turned out, but moving on anyway. He knew if he sat and tried to fix it, he’d spend the whole two hours working on just that, and not get any other practice in. So he just set the charcoal down and cracked his knuckles.

“You can move now,” he said to Edward, who shook out his hands and took a sip of his tea, humming delightedly.

“This is perfect, Alex, thank you,” he praised, and Alex pretended that the praise didn’t zing down his spine.

“Sorry it’s not anything fancy,” he said instead, but Edward shook his head.

“I’m no snob, darling. Tea is tea. I may have preferences, but I’ll take what I can get.”

“As long as it isn’t sweet tea,” Alex teased, and the man blushed lightly.

“Well I do have my limits,” he quipped.

“So what is your favorite?” Alex asked as he looked at the various items on his coffee table.

“I’m partial to Earl Grey,” the man replied, and Alex nodded.

“Good to know,” he mumbled, mostly to himself, before picking up the artificial rose. “Why did they put fake thorns on this?” he wondered aloud before handing it to Edward. “Just hold this in whatever way’s comfortable for now.”

As he sketched, Edward kept up their conversation. They discussed music more at length, with Alex scribbling the names of several songs on the corner of the pad to look up later. The talk moved to movie scores, which naturally morphed into movies and an intense Star Wars debate. He switched the rose out for a rubber ball as they discussed comfort shows. A rubber ball for a book encouraged favorite authors. A book for a deck of cards encouraged board games.

And then, as Edward was picking up a cheap penny whistle, a timer began to go off. Alex frowned, but Edward just tugged his phone out of his pocket and gave a small smile.

“That’s our time, I’m afraid,” he said, and Alex had to hide his pout.

“Gotcha,” he said as he carefully put away his charcoal and set the tin and pad on the table. As he stood and stretched, Edward leaned over and gazed at the sketches, his brows lifted in awe.

“You’re extremely talented,” he commented, and Alex snorted.

“I’m extremely stubborn when it comes to practicing things I’m bad at,” he corrected.

“Well I don’t see a single thing wrong with these sketches,” Edward said firmly as he looked up at Alex.

“You’re untrained, sweetheart. I don’t know if I can trust your eye,” Alex teased with a smirk, even as he let his eyes rake over the sketches.

His biggest issue with hands had always been in the fingers, specifically in the proportions. He had a habit of making the phalanges either too long or too short, making his hands look stumpy or something like an alien. He could see it in his first couple of sketches, with Edward’s hands clasped and then holding the rose. But as he went on, he could see where something in his brain clicked, and he’d been able to truly capture the correct proportions. It was especially noticeable in the sketch of Edward holding the book, one hand open along the spine, the other holding one side of the book open.

“So, we agreed on $500, right?” Alex asked as he walked over to his small kitchen table, wiping his charcoal smudged hands on his sweats before grabbing his wallet.

“That was before,” Edward said as he stood. “I’ll settle for $150.”

Alex whirled around and frowned, cash in hand.

“That’s not cutting me a deal, Edward, that’s thievery,” he insisted, but Edward shook his head.

“Darling, I sat on a couch for two hours and held things. I’m half tempted to not charge you at all. This was practically a vacation for me! I’d honestly feel like I was stealing if I charged you any more than that.”

Alex rolled his eyes but counted out the cash he had, then smirked.

“I’ve only got $20’s, so it’s $160.”

“Good Lord, it’s like taking candy from a child,” Edward sighed, rolling his eyes even as he accepted the cash. “Now, do you mind if I use your loo before I head out?”

“Sure, it’s the door on the left,” Alex said.

As soon as he closed the door, Alex stuffed a few more bills into his suit jacket pocket with a smirk before putting the rest back in his wallet. When Edward returned and put on the jacket, Alex couldn’t help but feel a smug sense of satisfaction.

“Please let me apologize again for the miscommunication error,” Edward started as he headed towards the door, but Alex shook his head.

“Hey, don’t steal my credit!” he laughed. “We were both to blame for that. Don’t sweat it.”

“If you say so,” Edward said before holding a hand out to Alex. “It was a delight to meet you, darling, and don’t hesitate to reach out again if you’re in need of more assistance.”

“Jeez, you talk like an alien,” Alex teased as he took the offered hand.

Maybe Alex imagined the light squeeze Edward gave before letting go. Maybe Alex imagined the blush tinging the taller man’s cheeks as he opened the door. Maybe Alex imagined the lingering look he was given before he strode down the hall.

Maybe Alex dreaming of a firm grip, long pale fingers, and a lilting accent that night was just a coincidence.

<[email protected]>
Hey Edward! I’m hoping you can help me out again? I need another model, so I was hoping you’d be available? I know it’s sort of short notice, but do you think you can come over this weekend? Just tell me the rate for a rush job like this and I gotchu.

 

<[email protected]>
Hello Alex. Of course, I’d be more than happy to model for you again. I’ve luckily had a cancellation this Saturday, so no need for a higher rate. We can stick with $160 for two hours, unless you believe you’ll need longer, in which case we can renegotiate. What shall I be modeling this time? Moving up to my arms? My elbows? Or shall I wear some shorts so you can sketch my knees?

 

<[email protected]>
This is actually for my life figures class, so I’ll be drawing all ten feet of you. Just do me a favor and wear something simple? A t-shirt and jeans, if you can. Do you even own a t-shirt, sweetheart? I kind of can’t imagine you in something that laid back.

 

<[email protected]>
Believe it or not, I actually do have leisure wear. I can dress down, I assure you. I’m free until about 6p.m. Saturday. What time works best for you?

 

<[email protected]>
Hell, come in sweats if you want. I just want you to be comfy. Hot date that night?

 

<[email protected]>
Something like that.

<[email protected]>
😬 excuse me while I surgically remove my foot from my mouth. 12pm-2pm? I’ll order lunch?

 

<[email protected]>
That works for me, darling, though don’t feel obligated to feed me. I look forward to it.

“Not gonna lie, sweetheart, when you said leisure wear I assumed you meant khakis and a polo,” Alex teased as he looked Edward up and down. The man just smirked and shrugged as he dug his hands into the pockets of his gray sweatpants.

“I am perfectly capable of dressing for the occasion,” he insisted. “Even if the occasion is sitting still for two hours. Besides, you’re talking awfully clearly for someone whose foot was previously taking up residence in their mouth,” he quipped, and Alex blushed as he stepped aside to let him in.

“Yeah, yeah, touché or whatever, just get in here.”

Edward chuckled as he entered, and Alex had to work to keep his eyes off of the man’s ass in his sweats as he closed the door.

“Where do you want me, darling?” Edward asked, and Alex bit his tongue so he didn’t say what he wanted to say. Instead he cleared his throat and let a hand rest on the back of his kitchen chair.

“I was going to put this in front of the windows and have you sit in it,” he explained. “Backwards, so you’d have something to rest on. You’re going to be still for a while, and I want you to be comfortable.”

“Whatever you need,” Edward said with a nod, and Alex returned the gesture as he moved the chair to sit in front of the windows, sunlight streaming in.

Edward followed and easily straddled the chair, his arms automatically crossing along the top of the back as he leaned forward. Alex’s mouth went dry as his eyes landed on thick thighs straining against gray cotton, and he nearly dropped his phone as he pulled up his playlist. Edward just smirked again.

“Everything alright?” he asked, and Alex nodded quickly.

“Yeah! Yup, it’s all good.”

“Do you need me to sit a different way?”

“No, you’re perfect, trust me.”

Edward seemed unable to hold back a small chuckle at that, and Alex just kept his lips pressed together as he grabbed the second kitchen chair and set it a few feet in front of the blond. He then grabbed his easel and began to unfold it in front of the chair. It was something he’d done hundreds of times before, yet something about Edward, framed in light, biceps slightly flexed and bulging the sleeve of his black pocket tee, seemed to unseat him. He found himself struggling with unfolding the legs and snapping them in place, then having to readjust because he’d extended them too long for the height of his chair. All the while Edward just sat and watched, grinning almost mischievously.

Finally Alex had his pad set up on the easel, his charcoal in his hand, and his music on the speakers, and he was able to get started. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes as he got started, but then his inability to stay quiet even as he concentrated reared up, and he asked a question that had been on his mind since the previous week.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“You just did,” Edward pointed out, and Alex pouted at him for a moment. “But yes, feel free.”

“Last time, when you were freaking out about the whole miscommunication thing, you said you broke one of your rules,” Alex said, eyes flitting from paper to the man in front of him as he drew. “What rule?”

“Ah, that,” Edward said, and Alex could have sworn he saw a tenseness in his shoulders, despite the fact that he hadn’t moved. “Well, I generally don’t see new clients so quickly,” he explained, his face pinking slightly. “Especially those particular clients. Usually I’ll book them out by a couple of weeks. I’ve found that they often cancel before their appointment time, and by giving them that cushion, it gives me the opportunity to fill the slot with other clients who have hired me before.”

Alex nodded as he tried to get the proportions of Edward’s legs just right.

“Why do they cancel? Do they ever tell you?” he asked.

“Sometimes they do, yes, but nine times out of ten I can usually tell that it’s for the same reason,” Edward said. “They lose their nerve. They don’t want to be involved in illegal interactions.”

Alex snorted as he quirked an eyebrow at the man.

“Then why try to hire you in the first place?” he asked.

“People get lonely, Alex,” Edward responded, his voice soft. It made Alex pause and really look at him. “Humans are not solitary creatures by nature, are we? And when you wind up alone for a long period of time, for whatever reason, some people find themselves desperate enough to do whatever it takes for that companionship.”

“You’re right,” Alex agreed, and Edward’s soft smile was everything.

He went back to his sketch, though he burned with more questions, and Edward seemed able to read him like an open book. He chuckled and smiled, and Alex’s heart did not skip a beat, thank you very much.

“You have more questions,” Edward said plainly, and Alex sighed.

“Yeah, I do,” he admitted. “But I don’t want to interrogate you or anything.”

“I promise I’ll answer your questions to the best of my ability,” he replied. “As long as you don’t judge me for my answers.”

“Why would I judge you?” Alex questioned with a frown. “Sex work is real work, Eddie boy.”

“Ugh, I beg you to not,” Edward muttered. “Ask your questions, love.”

“Alright. Do you actually do the date thing? Or is that part of your website just a cover for everything else?”

“Oh no, I absolutely do the date thing,” Edward answered, imitating Alex’s own accent with eerie accuracy. “Believe it or not, most of my clients do not pay me for sex. I have attended enough workplace holiday parties to consider myself an expert on the subject, and a large number of older women like to hire me for family gatherings. It’s always enjoyable to see the shock on the faces of their grandchildren when they see granny stroll in with someone my age on her arm.”

“That sounds hysterical, actually,” Alex said around a laugh. “Did you start out as an escort and move into the sex work?”

“Oh no, the opposite actually. I was making my money that way, and one night a regular client asked if I could attend a function with him as his date, no sex involved. He’d always been rather sweet to me, so I didn’t mind doing it as a one off. But then he asked if I would be willing to do so on a more regular basis, and I didn’t see the harm in it. Somehow, word got out to one of his friends that I did what I did, and she asked if I would be willing to do the same, and the rest was history. I had the website up within the month.”

Alex nodded, then mumbled a curse as he accidentally smudged a line. Trying not to think about that blemish, he continued with his sketch, and his questions.

“Who hires you more as an escort, men or women?”

“I’m rather popular with older women,” Edward said. “I suppose going out and about on the town with a young man on their arms makes them feel sexy and rebellious. I’d say a good seventy percent of my escort clients are women.”

“What about the sex work?”

“I definitely see more men than women,” Edward said. “I only offer select services to female clients, whereas I’m rather full service with my male clients.” At Alex’s confused frown, he smirked. “I’m gay, Alex.”

“Oh,” Alex said plainly. Then, unable to help himself, blurted a quick, “I’m bi.”

“I didn’t want to assume,” Edward said with as little of a shrug as he could manage before going back into his position.

“So select services? You mean-”

“Oral but no penetration,” Edward said easily, and Alex blushed lightly. “They don’t mind, are usually very accepting of my limits, and while I don’t particularly get anything out of it, they seem to have a good time, and that’s all that matters, isn’t it?”

“For sure,” Alex said. He thought for a moment before sending a smirk towards the Brit. “What’s the funniest thing that’s happened during a client appointment?”

“Surely you know I can’t discuss that with you,” Edward said, rolling his eyes, and Alex shrugged.

“It was worth a shot.” Alex huffed as he tried to get the line of Edward’s shoulders just right when another question popped into his head. “Also, what was with the medical glove?”

Edward’s face went red, and he seemed to be holding back embarrassed laughter.

“Well, as I said that day, it’s all about safety. I don’t touch a client without first checking the state of their, well, their bits.”

“Oh my god, you’re a sex worker and you can’t even say penis,” Alex teased, and Edward rolled his eyes.

“Sod off,” he laughed. “I would have checked you for signs of STI’s, open sores, things of that sort. If you actually had hired me for sex, and I’d seen those signs, I would have cancelled our appointment.”

“Oh,” Alex said with a nod. “That makes a ton of sense, actually. I’m glad you’re careful like that.”

“Safety is extremely important to me,” Edward said firmly. “I undergo regular testing, and I never have an encounter that is unprotected.”

“Sounds like the smart thing to me,” Alex said with a small smile.

The conversation naturally died away, but Alex didn’t mind much, trying to get to a good place for a break. Finally he got to a decent pause point and set his charcoal on the easel. He stretched with a groan, his back popping, and looked at Edward.

“You can take a quick break,” he said. “Just try to remember exactly how you were sitting so you can get back into that position later. Tea?”

“That would be lovely,” Edward said as he shook his arms out.

“I can still order takeout,” Alex offered as he went into the kitchen, but Edward shook his head.

“I promise I’ll be fine, darling,” he insisted, and Alex pouted.

“If you say so,” he said as he pulled a box out of his cabinet.

He hoped it was the right brand.

A few minutes later, doctoring the cup with milk and sugar the way he had previously, he brought the cup to Edward, who was sitting on the couch. He thanked him and took a sip, eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

“Is this?” he asked, and Alex nodded.

“Yup. I remember you said you preferred Earl Grey, although I didn’t know if there was a specific brand, so I kind of just googled which one had the best reviews and grabbed that. I hope it’s okay?”

“You didn’t have to go through the trouble,” Edward insisted, his voice tender, and Alex shrugged as he sat on his coffee table.

“It wasn’t any,” he promised. Edward seemed as if he was going to say something when Alex pulled his phone out and checked the time. “We’ve got a little over an hour left,” he said as he set the device back down. “Last time you said you really enjoyed Bake Off, so I thought that I might toss it up on the TV for you so you aren’t bored?”

“I’m definitely not bored, love,” Edward said with a smirk. “Don’t feel as if you have to cater to me.”

“You’re doing me a massive favor, sweetheart,” Alex pointed out as he searched for the TV remote. “The least I can do is make sure you’re having a decent time while you sit ridiculously still.”

“Who said I’m not having a good time?” Edward quipped back. “Besides, it’s not a favor. You’re paying me.”

“Semantics,” Alex joked as he pulled up his Netflix and found the latest season. “Alright, come on Your Highness, back to your throne.”

“But what about your music?” Edward asked, and Alex pulled his earbuds from his pocket.

“I’ve got it.”

What he didn’t tell Edward was that, despite having one earbud in, the music wasn’t playing. Instead he couldn’t help but listen to the show as he sketched, wondering if there really was something magical about it. Edward sat still as a rock while his eyes were trained onto the TV behind Alex, the only indicator of his attention being a small smile when something exciting happened.

It was disarmingly endearing, and made Alex’s chest hurt a little.

Almost in tandem, the episode ended just as Edward’s phone alarm went off, and he stood and stretched as Alex rubbed his hands on his jeans to get as much of the carbon off as he could. Edward’s eyes seemed to focus in on that, but he didn’t say anything as he picked up his coffee mug and deposited it into Alex’s kitchen sink.

“Can I see how it turned out?” he asked as Alex fished out his wallet.

“Sure,” Alex replied, unable to keep his eyes off of Edwards ass as he headed towards the easel.

“I know I said so last time, love, but bloody hell you really are very talented,” Edward said softly as he looked down at the figure on the page. Alex moved to stand next to him, looking down at his drawing, and shrugged.

“I mean, I’m not gonna say I don’t believe you, but an artist is always their worst critic,” he said with a chuckle before handing out some cash. “Here ya go.”

“Thank you darling,” Edward said as he grabbed it and put it in his pocket. “Just going to nip to the loo before I head out.”

“No worries,” Alex said, inwardly cursing the man for not bringing a jacket so he could slip a tip into it like last time.

A few minutes later Edward was standing at the door, but something in his posture was nervous, unsure. Alex was about to ask what was up when the taller man suddenly faced him head on, chin jutting out slightly.

“Would you like to exchange numbers?” he asked quickly, as if he were trying to get the actual question asking over with. “That way you don’t have to faff about with emails when you need another model.”

“Oh!” Alex said, surprise coloring his tone. “Are you sure? I don’t want to step on any boundaries or break any of your rules” he added, playful teasing coloring the last part.

“Yes, well, you’re unlike any of my other clients,” Edward said, his smile surprisingly affectionate. “I don’t mind making an exception. Besides, you’re not stepping on a boundary if I’m the one that suggested it in the first place, are you?”

“True,” Alex said with a chuckle before pulling out his phone and opening a blank contact page. Edward put his information in and sent a text to his phone before handing it back to Alex and opening the door. Alex paused for a moment, then cleared his throat. When Edward looked back, Alex blushed lightly. “Hey, uh, let me know when you get home safe tonight? After your… your date?” he asked, unable to stop himself from biting his lip.

Edward’s smile was impossibly soft, and he nodded slowly.

“I will,” he promised. “Have a good night, Alexander.”

Alex watched the door close, staring at the muted blue paint for a long moment, before pulling out his phone and looking at the new contact, and the little heart Edward had sent to himself, his own skipping a beat. It did so again when Alex saw the folded up bills on his bathroom counter twenty minutes later, a handwritten note on top:

While this tip was immensely generous last week, I can’t accept it. Not when our sessions are a breath of fresh air for me. Try it again, and see what sort of retaliation I employ. Thank you for the tea and your time, darling.

Edward Windsor
I’ve made it home safe from my session.

Me
Did you have fun?
… you really don’t have to answer that.
I don’t really know what to ask in this situation, but I wanted to say SOMETHING, and obviously that’s just a really awkward thing to ask, and I’m going to shut up now.

Edward Windsor
You’re sweet, darling. And you’re absolutely free to ask. Yes, it was enjoyable, though I’m rather tired now.

Me
Well shit, it’s nearly midnight. If someone kept you busy from 6pm to now, I’m SURE you’re tired! Get your ass to bed!

Edward Windsor
I’m afraid I’ll be up for a while. I’m a world class insomniac. But it’s fine, I have David for company.

Me
How does your boyfriend feel about your job? I’m assuming he doesn’t mind?

Edward Windsor
Boyfriend?

Me
David?

Edward Windsor
[image]
This is David, Alex.

Me
HOW THE HELL DID I NOT KNOW YOU HAVE A DOG

Edward Windsor
Never came up, I suppose.

Me
He’s precious and I love him with my whole heart

Edward Windsor
You’ve never met him. What if he wees in your shoes?

Me
Obviously my shoes have done something to offend him, that’s not his fault.
Also why did you put your whole ass name in your contact?

Edward Windsor
So you’d know who I am?

Me
Oh trust me, I know who you are sweetheart.
There, fixed it.

Eddie
Do I want to know?

Me
Probably not

Me
Ed
Edwardo
Eddie
Ed-boy
Edwin
Sparkly vampire

Eddie
I draw the line at Twilight references, and I swear to God if you’re texting me because you saw a squirrel fighting a pigeon again I’m going to come to your apartment and smack you with a rolled up newspaper.

Me
Regret giving me your number last week? 😜

Eddie
Despite your complete inability to send one text at a time, I can’t say that I do. Now, did you need something? Or were you just without attention for too long and now you’re suffering withdrawals?

Me
Ha ha, you’re soooo funny. I actually DID have something to ask you.

Eddie
Need another model?

Me
Yeah, but this time it’s… different.

Eddie
Different how?

Me
So my professor really liked my sketch, but he said he couldn’t accept it because… well, because it wasn’t a nude model.

Eddie
Ah, I see.

Me
Yeah
Sooooooo
Do you think you’d mind being shirtless for a couple hours this weekend?

Eddie
Alex, you DO realize I get naked for strangers for a living, right? If you need a nude model, I truly don’t mind.

Me
All you do is get naked? So what, they stare at you for an hour and pay you megabucks? Sounds like a scam, sweetheart 😜
And I think I can get away with just some torso sketches, honestly, so you shouldn’t have to go all the way with me.

Eddie
I didn’t know you were so curious about what I get up to during my client sessions, darling. A bit of a voyeuristic streak, perhaps? Either way, I have no problem modeling shirtless for you, and I’m surprisingly free all weekend. What day would work for you?
Alex? Are you there?

Me
Yeah, sorry, got caught up with something. Same time as last week? Saturday from 12-2?

Eddie
Sounds wonderful, darling. See you then.

Me
Yup! I’ll holler at you later!

“Man, you’re here to get half naked, you couldn’t have worn something more comfortable?” Alex teased as he stepped aside. Edward just rolled his eyes and entered the apartment, his hands smoothing down the front of his button down.

“This may come as a shock to you, darling, but I actually am fairly comfortable in these clothes,” he said. Alex copied his eye roll as he shut his door and motioned to his own clothes.

“A t-shirt and sweats are comfy clothes, Edward. A button down and slacks are decidedly not,” he said, and Edward shrugged.

“To each their own,” he said before looking towards the kitchen. “Are you cooking something? It smells rather good.”

“Yeah, I’ve got some chilli in my crock pot,” Alex said with a grin and a quirked eyebrow. “You’re not getting out of lunch this time, Eddie. I’m feeding you through hell or high water, and this is an old family recipe. You don’t wanna offend my ancestors, do you?” he teased.

Edward’s smile seemed strained for a moment, and he fiddled with his fingers almost nervously. Alex frowned.

“You okay?” he asked. “I mean, you don’t actually have to eat with me. I’m not going to be offended if you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s not that,” Edward said quickly. “I would enjoy that, actually. No, it’s… it’s my name.”

“Oh,” Alex said, then shrugged. “If the nicknames bother you, I can stick to Edward.”

“Well,” he said, then paused, biting his lip. “I’d rather… I’d much rather you call me by my real name.”

Alex blinked at him, his mind trying to catch up. It made sense, honestly. There were tons of professions out there where people used fake names and stage names. He should have figured that Edward may be a pseudonym. The fact that he was willing to trust Alex with his actual name? That was what he was having a hard time wrapping his head around.

“Y-yeah, I can do that, if you want,” Alex said softly. “But, like, only if you’re comfortable. Your privacy is important.”

“I know, but it doesn’t feel right anymore, having you call me Edward,” he explained. “I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but you’re much more than a client, you know. You’re a friend. And I like my friends to call me Henry.”

Alex smiled softly before striding forward and holding his hand out. Edward, no, Henry looked at him for a moment, slight confusion on his face, before slowly accepting the hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, Henry,” Alex said genuinely, and Henry finally returned the smile.

“You’re a dork,” he said in response, and Alex snickered.

“What gave it away?”

Alex’s easel was already set up exactly where it had been before, with the second kitchen chair just across from it, once again between the two windows. They walked over, Henry smirking when he saw Bake Off already pulled up and paused on the TV, and Alex began to fiddle with the hem of his shirt, nerves singing.

“Okay, I’m going to have you sit normally this time,” he explained, “but kind of on the edge of the seat a little? And then reclined back. I’ll move your arms once you’re seated. Sound good?”

“Sounds good,” Henry repeated with a grin. “Shall I undress now?”

“Yeah! Y-yeah, go ahead and- yeah, go ahead,” Alex stammered, blushing lightly.

Henry just chuckled and began to unbutton his shirt. Alex’s blush deepened and he quickly turned to fiddle with the easel, checking that it was the right height just to give himself something to do other than ogle his model. His friend.

He inwardly cursed his burgeoning crush on the man stripping behind him. He did not have time for this. He had a life figures class that was kicking his ass and a GPA to keep up. Besides, Henry called him a friend, but Alex knew that in two weeks he’d slowly start tapering off, backing away, overwhelmed by Alex’s Too Muchness. It happened every time he began to make a friend. He tried not to look too closely at it, though it stung every time.

No, better to nip this crush now, before he got hurt twice over.

Which was easier said than done when Adonis himself was now perched in his kitchen chair, leaning back leisurely with his legs spread, one elbow perched along the back of it, the other resting down so his hand was on his thigh.

Alex swallowed loudly as he took in the ease with which Henry sat there, half naked in his apartment. Henry raised an eyebrow in question.

“Is this alright? Or shall I move?” he asked, and Alex shook his head slowly.

“You’re good,” he croaked before clearing his throat and grabbing the TV remote. “You can turn your head a little this time. You don’t have to look directly at me,” he directed as the intro music to the show began to play and he sat down.

“Pity,” Henry said simply, and Alex nearly crushed the Nitram stick he’d just picked up.

Henry sat like stone, the only sign of life the occasional twitch of his eyebrow or quirk of his lips as he watched the show. Alex, however, was fidgeting relentlessly. He couldn’t find a comfortable position for his legs, and then his hand was in the wrong position, then he was holding the charcoal weirdly, and finally his back started throbbing from his awkward hunch. Luckily, just when he was starting to feel altogether too twitchy, his phone timer chimed, and he sighed as he set the charcoal down.

“Okay, you can take a break,” he said as he grabbed the remote and paused the show. Henry frowned slightly even as he sat up.

“That wasn’t very long, was it?” he asked, and Alex shook his head as he stood and headed into the kitchen.

“It was only thirty minutes,” he explained as he washed his hands. “I kind of felt bad for not giving you a lot of rest last time, and I don’t want you to get sore, so I scheduled breaks this time. Plus, I need to stir the chilli,” he said with a smile as he did just that.

“Don’t feel like you have to take lots of breaks, Alex,” Henry insisted, even as he stretched. “I promise I’m comfortable.”

Alex, unable to take his gaze away from Henry’s sculpted chest, just nodded dumbly. Only Henry’s mirthful chuckle pulled his eyes up to the man’s face, which held a knowing smirk.

“Alex, darling? You’re dripping,” he said, and Alex frowned before looking down at his hands.

The lid to the crock pot was in one, condensation pooling onto the counter as he held it up, while the spoon he’d just used to stir the chilli was hovering a foot above the vermica, splatters of beans and ground beef below it. His face flamed and he muttered a few choice curse words as he put everything down and reached for the paper towels.

“You alright, love? You seem distracted,” Henry said as he walked over and leaned against the counter. Alex looked at him and nodded quickly.

“Yeah!” he squeaked before clearing his throat. “Yeah, no, I’m good. I, uh, I skipped my meds today is all.”

“If you say so,” Henry said placatingly, though Alex could feel the tease in his tone run down his spine.

God, he needed to get a fucking grip.

They were halfway through their next block of time, Henry as still as a statue, when a question popped into Alex’s head, and he was unable to stop it.

“So why Edward?”

“What?”

“Why pick the name Edward?” he asked again. “It’s kind of an old-fashioned name, isn’t it? And Windsor sounds all, I dunno, fancy and shit.”

“Well, Edward is part of my real name,” Henry said, eyes focused on Alex’s face even as his head remained turned. “And yes, Windsor does sound fancy and shit, which gives an appearance of high quality. People don’t seem to mind higher prices when it sounds like they’re going to sleep with royalty.”

“Makes sense,” Alex agreed with a nod. “So Edward is your middle name?”

“One of them, yes.”

“You have more than one?” Alex chuckled, and Henry pinked up a little but smiled.

“I have several,” he admitted, sounding sheepish. “My grandmother’s insistence, really. My dad thought it was ridiculous, though he hardly called me by my name anyway. It was always Ducky or Kit or Teddy.”

“How the hell do you get those nicknames from Henry?” Alex asked, and Henry’s blush deepened.

“I don’t know if we’re firm enough friends to spill secrets,” he teased. Alex gave an exaggerated pout, and Henry sighed and rolled his eyes. “Teddy was because I was, and I quote, ‘as cuddly as a teddy bear’ when I was younger. Kit was from my last name, Fox. And Ducky… good Lord, I can’t believe I’m about to tell you this.”

“Spill, Ducky,” Alex demanded playfully, and Henry heaved a put upon sigh.

“Apparently, when I was an infant, I had this problem. Whenever my parents would feed me from a bottle, by the time they were done there would always be a puddle of milk on my chest. They switched bottles, checked them for holes, put towels under my chin, but it didn’t matter. When all was said and done, I’d have gotten milk somewhere on my person. So my father, in all of his sleep deprived wisdom, dubbed me Puddle Duck.”

“That is probably the cutest fucking thing I have ever heard in my life,” Alex gasped, and Henry chuckled.

“It shortened to Ducky as I grew, but it definitely stuck. My sister is partial to Teddy, because she’s a menace, and my brother is a bore and sticks to my name, but Mum still calls me Ducky.”

“And your dad?” Alex asked. Henry’s look turned wistful, a mix of longing and love, and Alex lowered his charcoal from his paper, mesmerized.

“He’s passed,” Henry said softly, his eyes closing for a moment.

Alex longed to reach out, to place a hand on his leg, to show him comfort. He nearly did. But the black on his fingers stopped him, and his hand twitched as he brought it back to his lap.

“I’m sorry,” he returned quietly, and Henry opened his eyes and gave him a gentle smile. “I mean, I know that doesn’t help, but-”

“I know, darling,” Henry assured. “Thank you.”

Alex was saved from trying to come up with something to say by the alarm on his phone. Henry broke his pose and stood, stretching, before giving him a small, slightly strained smile.

“I’m just going to use the loo, back in a moment,” he said, and Alex nodded.

While Henry was gone Alex washed his hands, stirred the chilli, and filled the kettle. He grabbed the Earl Grey and his favorite mug, a white University of North Texas mug. It had been gifted to him as a joke, since he’d not actually attended UNT. However, the handle of the mug was in a rather unfortunate place, and Nora had presented it to him one Christmas with a cackling laugh. He grinned as he plopped the tea bag inside, hoping Henry would find it as funny as he did.

By the time Henry emerged the tea was ready, and Alex presented it to him with a flourish that nearly spilled the almost overflowing liquid. Henry just chuckled and reached for the mug, when suddenly he stopped and frowned at it.

“Alex?” he asked.

“Yeah Hen?”

“Why is your mug calling me a cunt?”

Alex carefully handed him the mug through peels of laughter.

“Thought it might perk you up a bit,” he said with a grin, and Henry returned it, looking brighter.

“Lucky for you, I like it when men call me names,” he threw back as he took a sip, and Alex’s laughter died on a choked breath.

The rest of their session went by easily. Bake Off still played in the background, with Henry commenting on the proceedings every now and then, but they found themselves back in the pattern of smoothly flowing conversation.

At Alex’s tentative suggestion Henry told him about Arthur, the man who launched his love of the written word, the man who made him hot chocolate on stormy nights, the man who painted his nails when he was ten because he wanted to match his sister. At more insistence, he told Alex about Arthur Fox, the man with a thousand faces. He recalled seeing his father on the screen for the first time, and the unfiltered awe he felt. He remembered helping him run lines as he got older and was able to better understand the language of Shakespear, and then later the villains of Bond, and how he couldn’t help but admire his father for his bravery.

By the time Henry’s alarm on his phone went off, signalling the end of their two hours, Alex’s hands were covered in charcoal, his drawing was complete, and he felt like he was really beginning to know the man in front of him. It felt like Henry was giving over parts of himself, trusting Alex with the fragile bits of knowledge because he knew that he wouldn’t drop them. And he wouldn’t. As he cleaned up his stuff and tried not to pout at Henry putting his shirt back on, he carefully tucked the blown glass words into the soft corners of his mind, ready to be looked at again at his leisure.

“You don’t actually have to stay to eat,” Alex said as he washed his hands again. “Feeding people is one of my love languages, I guess, so it’s kind of a habit to want to offer you something, but don’t feel obligated.”

“Alex, I have no other plans,” Henry said as he helped bring the kitchen chairs back to his table. “I’d love to stay and eat.”

“Okay, awesome,” Alex said, trying to tone down his excited smile. “Well, I made sure to not add a ton of spice, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Really?” Henry said, a slight frown on his face. “That’s a shame. I quite like spicy food.”

“You do?” Alex asked, his tone colored with surprise. “I mean, I have some hot sauce if you want?”

“That would be wonderful, Alex. Thank you.”

As he fixed their bowls, Alex wondered why Henry seemed to enjoy saying his name.

He refused to look into why he liked it so much.

Me
Heeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyy

Prince Charming
Alexander, it is 3 in the morning. Why are you awake?

Me
Same question, Henry.

Prince Charming
I’m not. I’m sleep texting the gremlin in my phone.

Me
Sooooooooo
My professor really liked my drawing

Prince Charming
But?

Me
He said that in order to get full credit, I have to do a full nude.

Prince Charming
Not that I’m complaining, but don’t most of those kinds of classes employ their own models?

Me
Yeah, but that’s for in class work. We have to prove we can do this kind of stuff without our teacher lurking over our shoulders correcting our shit.

Prince Charming
That does make sense. When would you like for me to come over?

Me
You’re okay with that? With being naked?

Prince Charming
Alex, we’ve been over this.

Me
I know, I know. I still wanna make sure though!

Prince Charming
I assure you, I am perfectly fine with being naked in front of you for the sake of your art.

Me
Okay
Awesome
Cool
And none of that trying to refuse payment shit like last week! You’re agreeing to be vulnerable in front of me, so let me fucking pay you!

Prince Charming
You DO realize that I’m doing this out of no obligation other than helping a friend, right? This isn’t a job to me anymore, darling. I genuinely enjoy your company and our time together. I don’t charge my other friends a cover on my time.

Me
…
I mean
When you say it like THAT

Prince Charming
From now on, I only take payment in the form of sweets. Take it or leave it, love.

Me
Ugh, FINE. I’ll bake us something.

Prince Charming
I look forward to it. Now, when shall I come over?

“See, this is exactly how you should dress when you’re doing shit like this!” Alex said approvingly as he smiled at Henry. Henry just playfully hip checked him as he walked into the apartment as he rolled his eyes.

“I should have shown up in my three piece suit just to spite you,” he teased as he draped his rain splattered jacket on the back of a kitchen chair, revealing a tight gray t-shirt. His black sweatpants seemed just as tight as his gray ones, and Alex bit his lip as he tried to calm his blush.

“That’s definitely something you would do,” he said.

Henry chuckled and turned, then froze as he saw the currently rearranged living room. Alex had pushed the coffee table against the wall, laid a spare duvet down, and piled every pillow he owned on top of it. He turned back around and gave Alex a look that was an unexpected mix of playful and sultry.

“Should I be reading into this, love?” he asked, and Alex scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“Shut up, I wanted you to be-”

“You’ve been very concerned about my comfort every time, Alex, and I thank you for it,” Henry placated with a softer smile. “I appreciate it immensely.”

Alex, mouth suddenly dry, just nodded and rubbed his hands on his own sweats nervously.

“Okay, yeah, cool, awesome,” he said quickly. “Uh, do you care if we skip the Bake Off today and just stick with music, though? Just to help me concentrate better?”

“Absolutely,” Henry said easily. “This is for a grade, after all. I want you to be at your best.”

“Awesome. Do you need anything before we get started?”

Henry tilted his head and looked at him through slightly squinted eyes, and Alex couldn’t help but feel as though he was being x-rayed. Then Henry smirked, like he’d found something he liked, and crossed his arms over his chest.

“You’re nervous,” he said. It wasn’t a question, it was an absolute statement, no room for arguing, and as much as Alex wanted to give off an aura of confidence, he couldn’t stop his cheeks from reddening.

“Yeah, I guess I am,” he admitted with an embarrassed chuckle.

“Why?” Henry asked, and Alex ran a hand through his curls.

“Because I’ve never asked my friends to get naked for me?” Alex laughed. “And I know you said you’re used to taking your clothes off for strangers but that’s for an entirely different context, isn’t it? I mean shit, I still blush when I see the models in our classroom! And that’s with, like, tons more people around. This is, like, intimate and shit and I don’t want to make you feel awkward or uncomfortable or uneasy because I’m this dork staring at your junk!”

“Good Lord, Alex, take a breath,” Henry said, his tone light but firm. He walked forward until he could put both hands on Alex’s shoulders, squeezing gently. “I can assure you that I am fine with being here. I would not have agreed if the idea of you staring at my junk made me uncomfortable in the slightest, alright? Now please relax and put on your bastardized music and let’s get to work, yeah?”

Alex took a deep breath and grinned up at the man.

“Alright, let’s fucking go.”

Henry moved into the living room and toed off his sneakers as Alex moved his bean bag over so that it was right in front of the couch. As he pulled up his playlist on his phone and connected it to his speakers he could hear Henry begin to disrobe, and he tried to ignore the fire slowly beginning to burn in his gut. He grabbed his pad and charcoals and took a second deep breath before turning, trying to prepare himself.

Of course, the first thing he noticed was the fact that Henry had neatly folded his clothes before setting them to the side. Something about that little quirk eased some of the tension in his chest. It was just Henry. Yeah he was hotter than the sun, and had a confidence that Alex was fairly envious of, but he was still the nerd who, during one of their newly frequent video calls, had gone on a forty five minute tangent about a book he was reading. He was still the guy who drank tea and sent pictures of his dog and owned several thousand cardigans because “They’re warm, Alex, and I don’t care if they make me look like a grandpa.”

It was just Henry.

Henry, who was now standing to the edge of Alex’s mini pillow mountain, completely naked and looking like a fucking siren.

“Did you have a particular vision in mind?” he asked Alex, who was trying very hard to keep his eyes above his waist.

“Loosely,” Alex said. “You know the old depictions of the Greek gods where they were kind of just lounging?”

“Absolutely,” Henry said with a grin. “So we’re going for lazy?”

“Provocatively lazy,” Alex corrected, and he could have sworn he saw Henry’s eyes darken momentarily. “Just get in whatever position you like and I’ll adjust you if necessary.”

Up until now, Henry had seemed to be able to read Alex’s mind in regards to posing, always interpreting his words and bringing them to life. This time, however, his first pose didn’t hit Alex the right way. His legs were straight, ankles crossed, with his arms folded and head resting on his hands. Alex frowned as he looked at him, ignoring Henry’s playful grin.

“It’s too linear,” Alex muttered quietly to himself.

“Looks like you’ll have to adjust me,” Henry said, and Alex could hear the tease in his voice.

He ignored it as he crawled over until he was situated on his knees at Henry’s side, still trying to ignore anything below the belt.

“Roll over so that you’re kind of resting on your hip,” he instructed. “Let your head rest on your hand, and your other arm just kind of lay on your stomach.” Henry did as he was bid, biting back a grin, and Alex nodded. “Better. Okay, you’re legs…” He let his eyes roam, trying to look at the man through the eyes of an artist and not a bisexual disaster with a mammoth crush. “Bend this knee a touch,” Alex said, gently tapping the left knee that was closest to the floor, ignoring the gooseflesh that arose from that touch. “And your other one,” he continued.

It was lewd. It opened up everything to be seen, and Alex kind of hated himself for it. But it was also a pretty fucking amazing pose for what he needed, and Henry gave a nod when Alex asked if he’d be able to hold that for a while. So he crawled back to his bean bag and opened his tin, ready for two hours of pure torture.

Where he usually enjoyed talking to Henry, he kept ridiculously quiet. Partly because he genuinely did need to concentrate on this, because he wanted to do well for his assignment. But also because he was honestly terrified that if he opened his mouth he’d say something stupid, or awkward, or God forbid revealing, and he’d rather keep his friendship intact. So he just let his tongue poke out between his teeth as his eyes went back and forth, back and forth, from the figure in front of him to the pad in his lap.

It was going well, much to his surprise. His charcoal glided along the page with a grace he hadn’t felt in a long time, his eyes picking up the little details here and there that made things pop. For once, the hands were easy. The lines of well muscled thighs nearly shimmered with movement. The rounded pecs that he’d spent hours staring at the previous week came to life on the page. It wasn’t until he reached Henry’s waist, and what lay just below it, that he nearly stopped. He wanted to take a break, to catch his breath, to spend five minutes out of the sunshine the man before him cast, but he just knew that if he stepped away, the magic and momentum he’d built would be gone. So he took a fortifying breath and finally let himself look.

Wearing sweatpants, it turned out, had been a mistake.

He was only a man, okay? A very human man with very human reactions to seeing other hot men as they lay draped before him, naked and tantalizing and fucking smirking. So even as he let himself dig into the details there, trying once again to think like an artist and not like a student who hadn’t felt anything other than his own touch in months, his dick had other ideas. He tried breathing deeply, tried thinking awful thoughts, tried biting the inside of his cheek until the tang of copper coated his tongue, but there was no stopping it. And he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Henry would be able to see if he let his eyes flit down to Alex’s lap. So Alex did the only thing he could think of: he set the pad down on his lap and grabbed a stray pillow from the edge of the pile.

“Are you okay?” Henry asked, not moving from his spot. Alex nodded light heartedly as he quickly replaced the pad with the pillow.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice cracking traitorously. “I just needed to rest my pad on something while I finished.”

Henry looked at him, pierced him with those blue eyes, and shook his head slowly.

“You know darling, I think you’re lying,” he said softly. Alex could feel the sweat beading on his forehead. When the hell did it get so hot in his apartment?

“N-nope,” he said, popping the ‘p’ in an attempt at nonchalance and a hope that it would cover the stutter. “Just needed a little extra support.”

Henry’s lips twitched into a knowing grin, and he raised a brow in question.

“Really?” he asked. When Alex nodded, he continued. “Then get back to it, Alexander. But I have some questions for you, if you don’t mind.”

“No, no I don’t mind,” Alex muttered as he tightened his grip on his charcoal and began to sketch again, mentally cursing the fact that he was still working on Henry’s crotch.

“Good,” Henry said. “The question that’s been on my mind since the end of our first session together: do you think I’m an idiot?”

Alex’s head whipped up, a massive frown on his face. Henry’s own expression was drastically different to the accusation he’d just given, all playful and full of fire and mirth, that brow still quirked.

“What?” he asked incredulously, but Henry gave a quick shake of his head.

“Keep drawing, love,” he instructed, and that order made Alex’s cock twitch in his sweats. “And answer the question.”

Alex huffed and continued to try and get the lines and proportions just right, even as confusion and fear of upsetting his friend coursed through him.

“Of course I don’t think you’re an idiot, Henry,” he said fervently. “You’re probably the smartest fucking person I know, besides Nora. But, like, no one is smarter than Nora.” He bit his lip and risked a look into those sapphire eyes. “Did I… I’m sorry if I offended you-”

“Ah, I still have questions,” Henry pointed out, his smile impish, and Alex pressed his lips together as he continued to draw, and increasing shake to his hands. “So now that we’ve established that I’m not simple minded, my next question: did you seriously think you’d be able to hide your attraction to me?”

Alex’s grip on the pad tightened, and his breath caught in his throat. He couldn’t look at Henry now, his face burning with embarrassment. He lifted the Nitram off the paper, worried his shaking would screw up the lines, and cleared his throat.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “It’s- I mean- like obviously I didn’t mean to, and I promise it won’t be a problem. I can deal with it, really, I can just ignore it-”

“I’m not done love,” Henry interrupted, his voice full of hopeful affection. “Look at me.” Alex did, eyes almost filling with tears as he saw a look of clear adoration in Henry’s eyes. “Take a deep breath, okay?” Henry commanded gently, smiling brilliantly when Alex did so. “Keep going, I’m sure you’re almost done.”

Alex snorted.

“I kind of don’t care about the drawing right now, Hen,” he admitted, but Henry just chuckled.

“But I do. We’ve worked very hard together for your art, darling. I want to see it finished,” he said, and Alex rolled his eyes but went ahead and continued, his hand no longer shaking quite as bad. “It’s alright, you know, being attracted to me. I expected it. Not to sound entirely full of myself, but I know what I look like. I put effort into maintaining my physique, and take care of myself so that I look good. As I said, I’m not an idiot.

“But then we started talking, really talking, and getting to know each other. I expected the glamor around me, the illusion and mystery, to fade away, and for you to realize just how ridiculously plain I am behind the façade of it all. I expected you to come to your senses. I hoped that perhaps after it was all said and done, I’d gain a friend.”

Alex scowled at the way Henry described himself, and opened his mouth to respond, but Henry’s warning look shut him up.

“So imagine my complete and total surprise when I came back that second time, and you were just as ridiculously enamored with me as I was with you.” A gasp from Alex, a silent admonishment from Henry. “Because I was, Alex, completely blinded by you. Your smile, your bloody eyelashes, your passion, your heart. You’re the sun, darling, and I feel lucky to catch every drop of your light you deign to give me.

“So by the third time I decided I’d step it up, try and be a bit more flirty. Instead I poured my heart out, and I was so scared you would see that little dark part of me and go running. But you stayed. You smiled and bantered and asked questions and saw me. Nobody sees me anymore, Alex. Not when they know what I do. They see Edward. You see Henry.”

The charcoal was forgotten in his hand, his eyes fixed on Henry. On the cut of his jaw, the pink of his cheeks. The flush that crept down his chest, which rose and fell rapidly, as if he was out of breath. On the tense muscles, the only sign of nervousness. On… holy shit he was getting hard.

And then, for the first time in all of their sessions, Henry broke his pose. He slowly crawled forward on his hands and knees, pinning Alex to the spot with his gaze. He carefully took the pad and set it to the side, Alex automatically dropping the charcoal on top. He tossed the pillow into some deep corner of the room. He sat back on his knees, let a hand come forward to rest on Alex’s own carbon stained one. Wound their fingers together. Alex opened his mouth to protest, not wanting to tarnish Henry’s skin, but no sound escaped.

“My last question, darling,” Henry said, and Alex nodded. “Can I kiss you?”

“Oh my fucking God Henry, please,” Alex practically whimpered.

And Henry fucking delivered.

A part of Alex he’d tried to ignore over the last few weeks of getting to know Henry had always wondered and fantasized how the man would kiss him, if he ever did. He’d imagined soft lips gently sliding against his, a kiss almost chaste except for the slightest slip of tongue into his mouth. He’d imagined it deep and dirty, a battle for dominance over each other that he would eventually intentionally lose. The reality of kissing Henry was so much better.

There was no battle, no gentility. It was possession in its most raw form. The hand not holding Alex’s wove through his curls, fingers tugging on just the right side of painful as he plundered his mouth, a guttural moan escaping his lips. There were teeth nipping at Alex’s lower lip, making him gasp and shiver. There were hands on his hips, not giving him time to pout at their change of direction because he was being pulled forward until he was in Henry’s lap, straddling him, pressing against him. Feeling him.

“Oh fuck,” Henry grunted against Alex’s lips, and Alex couldn’t help but whine as his hips began to grind into Henry’s.

“Too many clothes,” he panted, barely pulling away to speak.

“Don’t care,” Henry replied, spreading his knees. It gave him more stability to move, to thrust, and also brought Alex impossibly closer. “You feel so good, love.”

Alex’s hands were everywhere. Squeezing his biceps, cupping his cheek, pulling his hair, dragging up and down his back. He couldn’t get enough of the feel of him, warm and strong and so fucking hard against him. This entire afternoon had been torturous foreplay, and Alex was half a sneeze away from losing it.

“Not gonna- unh, shit- not gonna last sweetheart,” he tried to warn, making a weak attempt at slowing down. Henry just sped up, thrusting up over and over, nearly bouncing Alex in his lap, as if he were fucking him.

“N-neither am I, love,” he admitted, their lips only millimeters apart. They were beyond kissing now, just panting into each other, sharing breath. “Just- oh God!- just come with me now, and then I p-promise I’ll take my time.”

The prospect of Henry doing exactly that, taking his time to give Alex pleasure, is what pushed him over the edge. He cried out loudly as he came, the sound swallowed by Henry’s mouth in a claiming kiss. Henry’s own end followed immediately after, and Alex could have played the sound of his laugh on repeat and never been bored.

Alex finally let himself disconnect their lips in order to flop forward and press his face into Henry’s neck, breathing heavily. He couldn’t help but drop soft open mouthed kisses to the sweat-misted skin there, tasting him eagerly. Henry shivered, his breath hitching, and Alex let his teeth graze his pulse point, grinning at the groan and sudden death grip on his ass through his sweats.

“Darling,” Henry breathed into his curls, “I can’t get it up that fast.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t try,” Alex mumbled as he nibbled again, not hard enough to mark but enough for Henry to feel it.

“How about a shower, love, and then we can do as much trying as we want,” he responded, and Alex groaned.

“Don’t wanna get up,” he grumbled.

“Not a problem,” Henry said simply.

Suddenly Alex was in the air, squealing and gripping Henry around the waist with his legs as tightly as he could while his arms squeezed around his shoulders.

“Henry what the fuck!” he cried with a laugh, finally pulling back to look at the man holding him. Henry was grinning like an imp as he settled Alex against him, his hands under his ass.

“Shower,” he repeated firmly as he stalked towards Alex’s bathroom. “I want to touch you everywhere,” he purred, and Alex’s dick twitched.

“Yeah, okay,” Alex whispered with a nod.

Henry deposited Alex onto his tiny bathroom counter, and Alex was about to wonder out loud if it was actually sturdy enough to hold his weight, when Henry stepped towards the shower, and Alex was unable to hold back a snort of laughter. Henry turned to give him a confused look, and Alex’s giggles morphed into a full on belly laugh.

“Damn baby, looks like I left my mark on you,” he spat through his laughter. Henry gave a confused hum and moved to stand just to the right of Alex, looking in the mirror. As soon as he did, his own laughter filled the small room.

Smudges of carbon dust littered his pale skin. Streaks of black and gray marred his chest, his arm, his neck, his cheek. When he turned, more fingerprints decorated his back like constellations. Alex couldn’t help but admit that he liked seeing proof, tangible proof that he had touched Eros embodied.

How the hell had he gotten so lucky?

Henry had the shower running quickly, and was back in front of Alex in moments. He let his hands hover just at the edge of his t-shirt, fingers barely brushing the material, as he gave Alex a questioning look. He nodded, and Henry smiled as he slowly lifted the material up and off, letting it fall to the floor. His eyes went wide as he looked at Alex’s bare chest, and Alex couldn’t help but flush lightly at being so scrutinized.

Henry brought a hand up to slowly, teasingly, draw across his chest, from one shoulder to the other. Fingertips grazed down, digging ever so slightly into his pecs, before gliding over to his arm. Down, down, until he was tangling their fingers together once more, as if unable to resist the pull. Alex gently tugged him closer, until he was standing in between his spread legs, mere inches apart.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” Henry murmured as he reached up with his other hand to cup Alex’s cheek. Alex chuckled.

“You’re one to fucking talk, baby,” he said. Henry’s eyes fluttered and he bit his lip as if to hold back a groan, and it was finally Alex’s turn to smirk. “Oh, you like that one?” he teased, and Henry gave a little growl before reaching back and gripping his curls once more, firmly yanking Alex’s head back until he was gasping, his unencumbered hand automatically reaching to grip Henry’s waist.

“Yes I do,” Henry hissed as he brought his lips to Alex’s ear, his lips barely caressing the lobe. “I have wanted you for weeks, Alexander, and I won’t have you tease me when I can’t suck your beautiful cock like I’m desperate to do. So, you’re going to behave, and we’re going to clean up, and then you’re going to take me to bed and I’m going to show you exactly how much I like it when you call me baby.”

Alex whimpered as Henry sucked a kiss just under his ear, his cock half hard in his soiled sweatpants.

“Why can’t you?” he asked breathlessly, and Henry chuckled as he pulled away.

“My condoms are in my pockets, and not in here,” he explained as he slowly pulled Alex off the counter and curled his fingertips into the waistband of his pants. “And as many rules as I’ve broken for you, that’s one that I won’t.”

“No, I get that,” Alex said quickly, trying not to get distracted by Henry sinking to his knees as he drew the material down his legs. “I get it, I promise.”

He carefully stepped out of his pants and took Henry’s proffered hand when he stood, letting him pull him into the steaming shower. It was small, barely enough room for the pair of them, but Alex didn’t care. All that mattered was the feeling of Henry’s skin under his hands as he gently washed away the charcoal smudges, remnants of their time together. It would have been sad had he not had Henry caressing every inch of skin he could reach as Alex washed him reverently, proving through his touch that it would happen again.

Henry gasped and shuddered as Alex paid special attention to cleaning his cock, hands gripping his shoulders tightly as he pressed him against the wall and kissed along his neck and chest. Alex couldn’t help but smirk at the sounds he was making, and hoped he could draw more out. He was just about to sink to his knees when Henry stopped him with a wicked grin and a quick spin so that Alex was the one pressed against the tile.

“My turn, love,” he whispered as he reached for the body wash.

And Jesus, if he thought his touch to Henry was reverent, Henry’s hands were true veneration. He worshiped Alex with an adoration he felt he didn’t deserve, a devotion that made him want to hide. But Henry wouldn’t let him, refused to let him close his eyes as he kissed every inch of clean skin. His mouth followed water as it rinsed away the suds, chasing the droplets with his tongue until he was on his knees. Alex couldn’t help but spread his legs, instinctually trying to entice Henry to kiss him where he wanted. Henry simply smirked up at him before sucking deep purple marks into his thighs, biting and licking until bruises formed. Alex threw his head back with a cry, his cock now rock hard and leaking, his hands scrambling into Henry’s hair, feeling incredibly desperate.

“Hen, baby, please,” he gasped, and finally Henry stopped his teasing to stand and press a heated kiss to his lips.

“Take me to bed, Alex,” he said softly. “Let me show you how much I want you.”

It went fast from there.

They barely dried off, only skimming the towel over their bodies enough so that they weren’t going to soak the sheets. Henry ran into the living room to dig through his sweatpants while Alex quickly went into his room to make sure it was appropriately clean. Thankful that he’d tidied up before Henry had arrived, he was leaning over the bed to straighten the duvet when a hot hand pressed to his lower back, pinning him there.

“Don’t move,” Henry demanded softly, and Alex bit his lip.

“Enjoying the view?” he asked as he looked over his shoulder, then snorted at the strip of condoms in his other hand. “Shit baby, big plans?”

Henry’s gaze was heated, and he dropped his stuff on the bed before draping against Alex, pulling him into a rough kiss. Alex moaned low, arching his back and pressing his ass against Henry’s hard cock. Henry grunted into his mouth and pulled away with a pant.

“You’re too bloody pretty, you know,” he murmured, standing back up while keeping a hand on Alex’s back. “I told you I’d take my time with you, didn’t I? So spread your legs for me, love, and let me keep my promise.”

Alex bit his lip harshly as he did as he was asked, letting his legs spread. His neck began to hurt from twisting to try and watch Henry, so he let it fall forward, his forehead resting on his crossed arms as he tried to take a deep breath. Henry’s hands began to palm his ass, spreading his cheeks wide and exposing his hole. Alex whimpered, pushing his ass back more, and Henry chuckled.

“Impatient,” he playfully admonished as a hand disappeared.

A moment later the cold feeling of lube dripped onto his hole, and Alex gasped and jerked. Where Henry had grabbed the lube, he had no clue, and he honestly was beyond caring at the moment. He expected to feel a finger there, teasing his rim. But then Henry’s other hand let go of his ass, and there was the sound of ripping plastic, and Alex frowned.

And then his cheeks were spread once more, and something was being placed against him, and then Henry’s tongue was pressing through latex and against his rim.

Alex’s eyes rolled back as Henry toyed with him, pressing against him through latex. He lost time as Henry licked his hole over and over again. Their moans were in near harmony, echoing in Alex’s small bedroom, and pleasure coursed through him at both the physical sensation and the realization that Henry was enjoying this as much as he was. And then Henry was pressing in, and Alex saw stars behind his eyelids as his hands gripped the duvet tightly.

“Fuck!” he cried as he shivered, and he could feel Henry’s chuckle more than he could hear it.

“I can’t wait to taste you,” he said softly, barely pulling back to be heard.

“I’ll get tested tomorrow,” Alex panted, and Henry fully laughed then.

“Patience, darling,” he cooed as he pulled the latex away. A moment later he was cleaning the lube away with tissues, and then Alex was being bodily turned onto his back and then straddled. He looked up at Henry, hard cock jutting out temptingly, who was grinning down at him. “I’d very much like to ride you, love, if you’re amenable.”

Not even his ridiculous vocabulary could shock Alex out of his lustful stupor. All he could do was nod and rest his hands on Henry’s thighs as Henry reached for the travel sized bottle of lube he must have brought with him. Alex whined as he coated his fingers and reached back to open himself up, and Henry pet down his chest soothingly.

“Alex, you’re amazing, and when I am feeling much less desperate, I will more than gladly let you get me ready, but if I don’t get you inside me within the next minute I might genuinely combust, and then where would we be?” he said, and Alex smirked up at him.

“What was that about patience?” he asked, and Henry’s laughter morphed into a groan as he fingered himself.

As he worked, Alex reached over to grab a condom, rolling it on with slightly shaking hands, holding back his own moan as he slicked himself. Less than a minute later Henry was removing his fingers, wiping them on the discarded tissues, and lining himself up. Before Alex could ask if he’d prepped enough Henry was sliding down slowly, enveloping him in tight heat. They groaned in tandem, Henry’s head thrown back in pleasure, Alex’s hands a tight grip on his hips. Henry let out a hiss as he bottomed out, and Alex held him still.

“Are you sure you were ready?” he asked, and Henry panted harshly as he nodded, eyes closed.

“I like it when it stings,” he mumbled, and Alex’s hips twitched at that.

“Fuck baby,” he gasped.

The patience that Henry had encouraged in Alex was nowhere to be seen as he began to move, first grinding deep and dirty, then slowly bouncing up and down on Alex’s cock. It was white out bliss, and Alex was already ridiculously close. It had been an embarrassingly long time since he’d had a partner, and Henry was a walking fucking wet dream. His hands were planted on Alex’s chest, using him as leverage for his thrusts, and Alex couldn’t help but dig his fingers into his hips, hoping he left marks.

“Move,” Henry begged quietly. “Alex, please.”

And who was Alex to deny him?

He planted his feet onto the mattress and met Henry thrust for thrust, trying to angle his hips so that he could hit that perfect spot. He knew the moment that he had, as Henry’s cock twitched and his back arched and he gave a hoarse cry, eyes squeezed tight, fingernails leaving crescent dents in his chest. He pried his hands away from Henry’s hips and brought them up, carefully removing them from his chest so that he could entwine their fingers together.

Henry seemed to be able to use that to his advantage, moving faster, his thrusts deeper. The room was full to bursting with the sound of his moans and whimpers, and Alex could feel himself climbing higher and higher. He wanted to wait, he wanted Henry to come first, but he didn’t know if he was going to make it.

“H-hen, fuck, I’m so close,” he gasped, and Henry squeezed his hands tightly.

“Me too,” he breathed, the look of concentration on his face both sexy and adorable. “Just one more minute, love, I’m almost there.” He sounded wrecked.

“Let me,” Alex started, trying to disentangle their hands so that he could reach for Henry’s cock, but Henry tightened his grip.

“No,” he said firmly, finally opening his eyes to look down at Alex. “I don’t need it.”

Alex barely held off his orgasm at those words, instead thrusting harder and faster, trying to get Henry there. All it took was a few more rough jerks of his hips and Henry was coming, his laugh dying on a wail as he spilled all over Alex’s abs. The tightening of his hole was the end for Alex, who grunted and groaned through his own orgasm, filling the condom and squeezing Henry’s hands so hard he wondered if he’d crack something.

As the pleasure faded, and the ringing in his ears subsided, Alex tried to catch his breath. Henry seemed to be doing the same, head tilted back, eyes closed as he inhaled deeply. Alex just admired him for a moment, every glorious line and dip and wrinkle and freckle on his body. His beautiful cock, his thick thighs, the way his hair flopped over his forehead. Unable to stop himself, Alex brought both of Henry’s hands to his mouth, dropping kisses across the fingers, and that seemed to do the trick in pulling Henry back to the present.

He smiled softly down at Alex, the affection so obvious in his gaze. Slowly he pulled up and off of Alex’s deflating cock, his whimper at the loss making Alex’s hands flex and his dick give an admirable twitch. He cleaned him up carefully, using more tissues from the box on Alex’s nightstand to clean up his come, then carefully pulling off, tying up, and disposing of the condom. As he worked, Alex rearranged himself in the bed so that he was laying the right way along it, his hand pillowing his head. Henry snorted as he came back in and flopped next to Alex, snuggling deeply into his side.

“Should I be concerned that you don’t have pillows on your bed?” he asked, and Alex chuckled.

“They’re in the living room, Hen. You literally just spent an hour laying on them.”

Henry just grinned and pressed a kiss to Alex’s chest, just above his heart. It made something in Alex’s soul ache. He let his fingers run up and down that sculpted back, loving the delicate shiver Henry gave. The silence was so loud, and his mind was going a million miles an hour, but he didn’t want to ruin this peace that lay over them. But then a question came to mind that he was sure he could ask, and he couldn’t stop himself.

“In the bathroom, you mentioned breaking rules for me. Plural. How many more rules have you just completely decimated in pursuit of my fine ass?”

“You're a demon and I don't know why I like you,” Henry deadpanned, even as he snuggled closer. “Perhaps the biggest one is kissing.”

“Kissing?” Alex repeated.

“Yes. I don't kiss my clients on the mouth,” Henry said. Alex went wide-eyed.

“I thought you were such a good fucking kisser because of all that practice!” he exclaimed, and Henry blushed lightly but shook his head.

“I'm afraid not, darling.”

“God damn, you have a gift,” Alex muttered, and Henry bit his lip to try and hide his obviously pleased smile.

“You're not so bad yourself, love,” he returned.

Alex flushed and grinned sheepishly. Henry’s gaze turned wistful, and longing, and Alex frowned.

“What?” he asked, and Henry took a deep, slightly shuddering breath.

“I just… I can’t help but wonder… what we are,” he said quietly, concern tinging his tone. “I mean, what you want us to be.”

“Well what do you want us to be?” Alex asked.

“I asked first,” Henry said quickly, and Alex smirked.

“Nope, not getting out of it,” he said firmly. Henry closed his eyes, seeming to war with himself as he thought of his answer.

“I want you to be mine,” he whispered, eyes still closed, as if he was afraid to see Alex’s reaction. Which was a shame, since Alex was smiling wider than he ever had in his life.

“Well, sweetheart, it looks like we’re on the same page,” he said softly, and Henry’s eyes opened quickly, his mouth dropped in shock.

“Really?” he asked, his brows furrowed. “Because I’m not going to quit my job. I like what I do. I enjoy it.”

“I would never ask you to, Henry,” Alex assured. “It doesn’t bother me, you know. It’s just a job. Do I maybe worry about your safety a bit? Yeah. But do I look down on you or think less of you because of what you do? Hell no. I wouldn’t have ever met you otherwise.”

Henry stared at him, at an obvious loss for words, and Alex just smiled before leaning down to capture those perfectly pink lips.

They didn’t need words anyway.

Not when they had warm hands gripping, soft gasps echoing, and carbon dust in the air.

Notes:

CHRISSY YOU ARE AMAZING, THANK YOUFOR THE DIVIDERS AND THE INSERTION OF SAID DIVIDERS, I LOVE YOU

ELI AND CHRISSY THANK YOU FOR HELPING WITH THE TAGS AND TEACHING ME THINGS, MORE LOVE

ELI AND LOGAN, THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING 90000000 SNIPPIES AND CHEERING ME ON, SO MUCH LOVE. Also, thank you Eli for the mug!

story time: Henry's story about his parents calling him Puddle Duck is 100% based upon my own childhood nickname. Of course, my parents didn't call me Ducky as I grew up, I had other nicknames.

and yes, I do have some ideas for more stories in this universe :)