Work Text:
Alex was a workaholic. He could, mostly, happily admit that he liked work. He liked the way it could distract him from everything else in his life, ranging from that time he was made to fake a friendship with the now love of his life to the Queen’s current disapproval of him and everything about him and the fact that Henry has been in London for three days now. And he got to learn how to help people while he did it. It really was a win-win. Until it wasn’t.
Law school was everything he’d hoped, and dreaded, it would be. It helped that he was living with his very own Prince Charming in the New York brownstone. But Henry was busy with his youth shelter so he couldn’t expect him to be there all the time. So that left Alex, law school, and pints of coffee at all hours trying to run from the fact that he wants to marry Henry. He so desperately wants to marry Henry but their lives were just too much right now. They both had too much going on and if the reaction to their outing was anything to go by then an engagement announcement would be... extreme. And neither of them had space in their lives for any more extreme occasions. They really didn’t. No matter how much Alex wanted it and he really really wanted it.
“Stop it.” Alex muttered to no one over a pile of case research. Henry was visiting his family for the weekend and Alex felt the loss ache in his heart. He flicked his eyes to the clock. 02:13am. But what day was it again? Henry left on Friday which meant today was... Sunday? Or was it early hours Monday? Alex groaned and scrubbed a hand over his face. The words were starting to blur normally a sign that he needed sleep but he really wanted this done before Henry got home so they could spend some time together without having anything else on his mind. Foregoing sleep, Alex put on another pot of coffee and watched it brew. He checked his phone. On my way home sweetheart. I’ll see you soon. Henry sent that an hour ago. Part of Alex wondered if he should change Henry’s name in his contacts but HRH Prince Dickhead just suited him so much and it reminded him of where they began.
Can’t wait
Get some sleep
How’d you know I wasn’t
Because you’re texting me,
darling, and I know you
I may have to concede your point.
But I promise I’ve been sleeping.
Your promises mean little.
Like I said, I know you.
I’ll come meet you at the runway
Absolutely do not
Too bad. Already done
Go to bed, Alex
Oh. We’re using real names
now are we? All right then,
Henry
You are an absolute awful
human being and I love you
Love you too. See you soon
Alex smiled and locked his phone. A few more hours working and then he would go meet Henry and they could spend a bit of time together before their lives got crazy again. Granted, that would only be a few hours but it was better than nothing. If he could just finish these last few readings then everything would be fine.
It had only been… huh, too many hours for Alex to be able to calculate the hours since he last slept. Somewhere between 24 and 72 he would guess. Not enough to concern him because, honestly he felt fine.
Except… what was it Henry had said? Alex opened his phone and stared at the text messages. ‘You are an absolute awful human being’ was that what Henry really thought? Under all the I love you’s and teasing games. Maybe they weren’t just teasing maybe they were- no, Alex shook himself, I need to stop, he followed it up with I love you. But Henry hadn’t replied since his last text, what is- no. Alex shook himself more firmly. Henry was probably sleeping, that’s all. It’s a long flight and he wants to fight the jet lag before it even becomes a problem. That is all it is, get a grip, Alex.
Alex definitely did not let the movement of the car lull him to sleep on his way to meet Henry, and he also did not spend the whole time staring at his phone directing every message he and Henry had ever sent each other because that would be ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Definitely not what he did. That would be paranoid and he was not paranoid.
Alex found himself leaning against the car on the tarmac waiting for Henry’s arrival. His latest coffee was barely touching him and he could feel the call of sleep pulling at his eyelids.
“Hey, love.” Henry wrapped his arm around Alex and dropped a kiss on the other man’s forehead. “You look tired.”
“No, I’m fine.”
“You sure?”
“Just the lighting. Terrible light on runways, you know.”
“Yeah, ok.”
“How is everyone?”
“Philip is, uh, Philip. He’s getting better and he’s working on it but I think it’s going to be a while longer before we’re on good terms again. Bea is demanding that you come with me next time because she wants to see you, or she’s going to come here. I wasn’t sure if that was a request or a threat but either way we shouldn’t take it lightly. Mum is still trying. I love her but sometimes it’s a little much really. Making up for all the missing years of parenting. I keep telling her she’s done enough but I don’t know if she’ll ever believe me. Pez wasn’t there this time but I’m sure he’s looking forward to the next time he’s state side and can see June and Nora again and do… whatever is going on there. Do they even know what’s going on there?”
“I don’t think they defined it.” Why is he not talking about our relationship? Stop it, Alex, he reached out to Henry’s hand and pulled them into the car.
“It is good to be home.” Henry smiled as they walked through the door.
“This is home?”
“What?” Henry turned to Alex, confused. “Of course it is.”
“Oh. Good.” Henry dropped onto the couch and stared at Alex.
“Good? What’s wrong with you?”
“Why does something have to be wrong with me?”
“You’re not acting like yourself. And, Alex, how much coffee have you been drinking?” Henry eyed the mugs scattered around the room suspiciously. Usually his boyfriend’s coffee and sleeping habits were more endearing than this since they were both terrible at sleeping. But this seemed excessive, even for Alex.
“Not that much.”
“There are at least five mugs in here in varying stages of ick.”
“And?”
“Did you sleep at all.”
“Of course I did.” Alex snapped.
“When?”
“I slept.”
“Alex, man cannot live on power naps alone. I know your work is important but-“
“I want you to marry me.” Alex half demanded.
“You want- I mean- Are you- Yes?” Henry didn’t mean to sound uncertain but this was very sudden and Alex did look like he was about to start sleeping stood upright and that had been a very aggressive proposal, of a sort.
“Yes what?”
“You just asked me to marry you.”
“I did? I mean-“
“Alex, sweetheart, how long has it been since you actually slept?”
“What the fuck’s it to do with you?” Alex was pacing the living room.
“I’m concerned and I love you.” Henry tracked Alex’s movements but stayed on the couch. That seemed the safest place to be until whatever was happening stopped happening and he hoped that would be soon because whatever this was, it was disconcerting.
“You’re an asshole.”
“Excuse me?”
“An asshole. I’m not yours to control.”
“Alex, what the-“ Henry tried to reach out for the other man but he slipped from his reach too quickly. Henry dropped his arm and studied his boyfriend more closely. He’d seen Alex tired before, he’d seen Alex cramming for exams and stressed about the presidential race, he’d seen Alex jet lagged, but he’d never seen Alex with these dark bruises under his eyes. That was new.
“And another thing. Fuck you.”
“You are making it so hard to love you right now I swear-“ Henry tried to joke. He was desperate for something to alleviate the situation. He chose the wrong thing.
“Oh, am I? Not like I just worked my ass off for you all weekend so we could get some time together without a deadline looming and my thoughts elsewhere. But that’s not good enough for you, is it? Since I’m so hard to love.”
“What? Alex how could you- No, that isn’t what I meant.”
“Isn’t it?”
“Ok, you’re angry, you’re dropping things, and you can’t keep your words straight. Please, Alex, go to bed.”
“I’m not tired.”
“I don’t care. Do it for me.” Henry patted the spot next to him on the couch. Alex dropped down next to Henry, all the fight suddenly drained for him and left with an emptiness in his heart instead.
“I worked so hard for you.”
“I know, and I appreciate it, but not at the cost of your health.” Henry pulled Alex against him and manoeuvred them both so their feet were up on one end and Henry was lent against the other with Alex’s head on his chest. He started carding his fingers through Alex’s hair with one hand and rubbing small circles on the back go Alex’s hand with the other. Some of whatever tension Alex was holding onto seemed to fade under his touch so Henry kept it up. It was nice to have Alex in his arms again and be protecting him in some way. Alex was so fiercely independent most of the time that Henry rarely got this kind of opportunity. They sat together in similar positions a lot, but usually both of them were doing something else while they were at it. This, all his focus on Alex and Alex’s focus on Henry, felt nice. Even in whatever bizarre mindset Alex was in at that moment. A sleep deprived mindset, Henry figured after Alex’s third yawn in the space of a minute. Henry rolled his eyes. No sleep, too much coffee, and overworked. Sounded just like Alex but tipped into overdrive. Then it hit him. The proposal. Alex was running from wanting to propose for, probably very sane reasons, and it had led him on a work binge that had resulted in this.
“Everything sucks.” Alex moaned. Henry chuckled and nodded. Things did indeed suck at this moment in time. Mostly for Alex. Entirely for Alex, really, nothing sucked for Henry himself.
“You know, darling, there is a point when you need to ask yourself ‘do my friends really hate me or do I just need sleep’ and I think you hit that stage four coffees ago and ten hours ago if I’m being honest.” Alex feels Henry’s chest rumble beneath him and is distracted by the hand running through his hair and how drowsy that is making him feel, but he has just enough energy to mumble two words:
“Fuck off.”
“Never.” Henry whispered. He pressed a kiss to the top of Alex’s head. “I love you.”
“Love you too, prince dickhead.” Alex slurred. Henry huffed out a laugh that bounced Alex’s head off his chest. Alex whined at the movement but didn’t shift himself, just curled up tighter again Henry’s chest and closed his eyes.
“I’m going to marry you.” Henry said. And he meant it, truly, he was going to marry Alex. But he was also going to get a better proposal out of him. Or he was going to give Alex a better proposal. Or… something. Whoever got the first ring would do it.
“That a promise or a threat?”
“Both. Go to sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”