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Alex wakes up thrashing at the covers, covered in sweat and panting, muttering “Henry” still half asleep.
He feels around for Henry but can't find him. He knows Henry was there when he fell asleep.
“Henry,” he calls out in a hushed tone.
No response.
He gets up and looks around the bedroom.
David curled up in his far too expensive dog bed in the corner, snoring lightly.
He steps into his slippers and heads out of their room in search of any sign of Henry.
As he walks past their office he notices the glow of light under the door. He turns the handle slowly and opens the door to reveal Henry curled up in front of the fireplace, nestled into their wing back armchair nursing a cup of tea staring blankly at the flames.
He studies his boyfriend for a moment, watching how the light from the flame dances across his skin, lighting his glossy eyes.
He’s been crying. Alex can tell.
Alex quietly makes his way over. “Hey baby.” He smiles down at Henry.
Henry jumps, having not noticed Alex until now.
“Hi,” he croaks, tears still thick in his throat.
Alex forces himself into the armchair to hold his boyfriend. Henry shifts to allow for him before shuffling himself onto Alex's lap, a position often reversed for them.
“You’re up late,” Alex observes aloud.
“I couldn’t sleep and I didn’t want to wake you, sorry.” Henry replies sheepishly.
“What are you sorry for?” Alex says sympathetically, almost forgetting why he himself is awake.
“I still woke you,” Henry replies sadly.
“It wasn’t you, it was just a dream.”
“Do you want to tell me about it?” Henry asks, trying to distract himself from his own worries.
“Do you want to tell me what’s keeping you up?” Alex retorts.
“No,” he sighs.
“Then I’m just going to hold you, H.” He wraps his arms around Henry, pulling him closer and nestling his face into his soft blond hair. “I love you,” he murmurs.
“I love you too, Alex.”
They sit there holding each other for a while, just listening to each other breathe in comfortable silence.
“I dreamt about my grandmother.” Henry breaks the silence, staring across the room.
“She locked me in my old room, I couldn’t talk to you, I couldn’t see you. She told me I couldn’t leave until I promised not to see you and selected an ‘appropriate woman’ to marry. I just wanted you…” Alex watches him speak, seeing the pain in his eyes.
“I’m so sorry baby, but you know that’s not happening? We’re building a home here and she can’t stop us.” Alex takes a breath before he continues. “As long as you want me, I’m here.”
Henry spins round on Alex's lap, unable to let him continue.
“Of course I want you love, I’ve always wanted you.” He holds Alex’s face between his palms. “I don’t care what my grandmother says, she doesn’t get to control me anymore.” He stares into the deep brown eyes of the man he loves.
“I just worry that you won’t want to keep putting up with this, keep listening to her bitter words.” Alex just catches Henry’s words that are almost whispered.
Alex softly rubs his thumbs across Henry’s cheek. “It’s okay H, I’m not going anywhere, I choose you.” He smiles softly. “And you know I could take her.”
He pulls Henry close to his chest holding him as tight as possible “I love you.”
Henry leans into Alex, feeling the comfort of being in his arms.
He wanted to believe what Alex was saying, that it would be okay, and love was enough. But Henry knows the fight they still have. They have dreams of getting married, starting a family, but with his grandmother around they’ll never get the permission. At this point he feels like he’s just waiting for his grandmother to die, he can't imagine what people would think.
They sit there in comfortable silence once again.
“What was yours?” Henry asks, interrupting their silence.
“What?” Alex questions looking down at the boy he thought was asleep.
“Your dream.”
“Oh,” Alex shuffles uncomfortably, “I can’t even really remember...” He looks into Henry's eyes that are willing him to go on.
He looks away before continuing, “I was just stressing over several things and I couldn’t find anything I needed, and you weren’t there, you couldn’t help me like you normally do.” He breaks to catch his breath. “I was alone in the house stressing over nothing,” He pauses again, trying to hold back the tears. "I was calling out for you but you weren’t there. It sounds pathetic really.” Alex sighs.
Henry uses his thumbs to gently wipe the tears that have started trickling down Alex’s cheeks away, holding back his own. “It's not pathetic love.” He moves Alex’s face to look at his. “I’ll always be there, to help you, and hold you, and remind you that your glasses are only on your head.” This makes Alex laugh softly.
“I know, but then I woke up, and you weren’t there.” He looks down, feeling embarrassed.
Henry lifts his chin to look into his eyes again. “I’m sorry Alex, I won’t let you wake up alone again. Well, only on those horrible times when one of us is away, but if we fall asleep together, then we wake up together,” Henry finishes sincerely.
“And I want you to always wake me, I don’t want you to sit alone worrying about anything. Wake me, every time,” Alex adds.
Henry nods and says a soft “Okay, love.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too, darling.”
They stay curled up in that armchair dozing in each other's arms until the morning.
Where they woke up in each other's arms. Not alone.