Chapter Text
By the time Alex got home, the apartment was glowing warmly. Fairy lights cast soft shadows across the walls, and the scent of melted chocolate and cinnamon lingered in the air.
“Baby?” Alex called, shrugging off his coat and hanging it on the rack.
“In the kitchen!” Henry’s voice came from around the corner, cheerful and slightly muffled.
Alex followed the sound and stopped in his tracks. The kitchen table was covered with mugs, jars of toppings, whipped cream, candy canes, caramel drizzle, and a small bowl of mini marshmallows. At the centre was a steaming pot of creamy hot chocolate.
“Oh my God, are we hosting a hot chocolate convention?” Alex teased, leaning against the door frame.
Henry looked up from where he was placing tiny bowls of sprinkles on the table, his Christmas apron on. “It’s tonight’s activity,” he said with a grin, gesturing grandly to the table. “Welcome to the First Annual Hot Chocolate Tasting Night!”
Alex walked over, wrapping his arms around Henry from behind and resting his chin on Henry’s shoulder. “You’re so cute, you know that?”
Henry flushed, but his voice stayed light. “Save the flattery, sweetheart. You’ve got a lot of hot chocolate to drink.”
Alex released him and plopped into a chair, eyeing the spread. “So, how does this work, Hon ? Is there a scoring system? Categories? Am I judging presentation too?”
Henry rolled his eyes, sitting across from him. “You’re drinking the hot chocolate and telling me what you like. It’s not rocket science.”
Alex smirked. “You’re taking the fun out of this, Mr. Fox. Alright, let’s do it your way.”
Henry poured their first round, topping each mug with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel. Alex took a sip, his eyes widening.
“Okay, this is incredible,” he admitted, licking a bit of whipped cream off his upper lip.
“Not bad for round one,” Henry said smugly. “But wait until you try the peppermint version.”
They moved on to the next round, this time with crushed candy canes sprinkled on top. Alex’s nose scrunched as he took a sip.
“Too minty,” he said, setting the mug down.
Henry gasped dramatically. “Too minty? That’s blasphemy. Peppermint hot chocolate is a Christmas staple.”
Alex shrugged. “Maybe for you. I’m more of a ‘classic with marshmallows’ kind of guy.”
Henry shook his head in mock disappointment, reaching for the caramel drizzle. “Fine. Let’s bring it back to basics for the next round. But you’re missing out, darling.”
As they worked their way through different combinations—spicy hot chocolate with a pinch of cayenne, a salted caramel version, and even one with a dollop of Nutella—the table grew messier. Marshmallows rolled onto the floor, caramel dripped onto the tablecloth, and Alex’s face was dusted with cocoa powder from a particularly enthusiastic stirring session.
“You look like a toddler who got into the pantry,” Henry teased, leaning over to wipe a smudge of cocoa from Alex’s cheek with his thumb.
Alex grinned, catching Henry’s hand and holding it for a moment longer than necessary. “And yet, you still love me.”
Henry tried to cover his blush by reaching for the whipped cream. “Debatable,” he muttered, though his soft smile gave him away.
When they reached the final round, Alex leaned back in his chair, patting his stomach. “Alright, baby. I’m officially declaring you the Hot Chocolate Champion. This has been amazing.”
Henry raised an eyebrow. “You’re giving up? We’ve still got one round left!”
Alex groaned but reached for the final mug. “Fine, but only because I love you and also because I saw you add extra marshmallows to this one.”
Henry laughed, watching as Alex took a sip. His heart swelled at the sight of Alex’s content expression, the way his shoulders relaxed as he leaned back in his chair, cradling the warm mug in his hands.
“You know,” Alex said, breaking the comfortable silence, “this is one of the best traditions I’ve ever had. I think we should make it a yearly thing.”
Henry tilted his head, his voice soft. “You really mean that?”
“Of course I do,” Alex said, setting the mug down and reaching across the table to take Henry’s hand. “You make everything special, Henry. Even something as simple as hot chocolate.”
Henry felt his cheeks heat up again, but he squeezed Alex’s hand, his chest filling with warmth. “Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Even if you have terrible taste in peppermint.”
Alex laughed, shaking his head. “You’re never going to let that go, are you?”
“Not a chance,” Henry said, standing up to start clearing the table.
As Alex helped him gather the mugs and clean up the mess, Henry couldn’t stop smiling. This—messy, chaotic, and filled with laughter—was exactly what he’d hoped for.
And maybe, just maybe, he was starting to love Alex’s kind of chaos as much as his own version of order.