Work Text:
“Sorry,” the blonde nurse whispers. “It’ll just be another minute.” There are some vials in his hand and Alex shuts his eyes, pressing his face to the crook of his arm so he doesn’t have to see the blood dripping into the clear bottles.
Fingers skim up his arm, following his veins, blunt nails snagging against his skin every now and then. “We just need to get these for tests,” the nurse mentions. His voice is entirely too calm and smooth for someone who deals with vials and bags of blood on a daily basis—not that Alex is an expert at it, considering just the sight of the red liquid makes him want to faint.
If it wasn’t for the hot blonde standing just inside the Red Cross vehicle, Alex doubts he would’ve even signed up to donate blood in the first place.
“A few more seconds,” the nurse informs him—he has a deep British accent that sends a shiver down his spine. Alex firmly believes that anyone with the looks of a goddamn Prince Charming isn’t allowed to have an irresistible accent on top of it, but this guy seems like he didn’t get the memo. “I put the vials and the bag aside. Can you open your eyes for me, Alex?”
Alex. That name sounds too goddamn good on the nurse’s lips. He blinks open his eyes, the light haloing around the nurse for a few seconds before his bright blue irises and long lashes come into view. So fucking beautiful, Alex thinks; he would’ve reached out to trace his face if his arm wasn’t held up by the man, fingers pressed on the crook of his elbow.
A flush dusts the man’s cheeks. “Thank you,” he murmurs, eyes focused on anywhere but Alex’s face, and only then Alex realizes he must’ve spoken the words out loud.
Does donating blood make people hazy? If it does, Alex isn’t complaining, because he doubts he’d be able to find the courage to smile otherwise. “Like a goddamn angel,” he says, purposefully this time. “Did you know? You have a little halo around you.”
The nurse’s lips tilt into a smile. “Oh?” He lets Alex’s arm drop, grabbing a red bandage to cover his wound.
“Yeah. It’s like…golden.” He grins. “My angel.” The nurse chokes out a laugh, gaze focused firmly on Alex’s arms, though Alex thinks he’s standing just a bit too close to the bed than necessary. His thigh is only an inch away from Alex’s and Alex finds himself moving so they can press together, the red outfit stark against his black jeans. “What’s your name?” he blurts out, searching the man’s face.
“Henry.”
“Oh. Like a prince.” Henry laughs but doesn’t argue and Alex wants to hear that sound over and over again, the melodic tilt of it he doesn’t remember hearing from anyone else.
“You could say that. And you, Alex, are done.” Henry drops his arm but doesn’t stand back, allowing himself to search Alex’s face. It’s the look in his eyes that keeps Alex firmly rooted in his place. “Though I suggest you stay here for a few minutes to make sure you’re perfectly fine. We have some snacks and juice for you.”
Alex’s lips tilt into a grin. “Can see that right in front of me, sweetheart.” Another blush. Alex follows the freckles on the man’s nose, stark against the pink backdrop. He presses a packet of Oreos in Alex’s hand with a chiding look in his eyes.
“Who in their right mind let you donate blood?” he asks, more to himself than Alex, but Alex remembers the image of Nora laughing in his face and the sight of Henry inside the Red Cross car, the sign-up sheet, and the only chance to get into the vehicle to meet the man with hair so golden it reminded him of fairytales. It was a done deal, really, the moment Henry leaned out of the car to call his name.
“Well,” Alex whispers, toying with the edge of the packet, “there was this super cute blonde nurse I wanted to meet, and I thought I could get inside the car if I signed up.” Holding his breath, he searched Henry’s face, but all he finds is an amused smile. Gently, Henry reaches forward to open the Oreo packet.
“I see.” It doesn’t give anything away, but Henry doesn’t move either and Alex takes that as a good sign. He crinkles the Oreo packet between his fingers.
“Does that… Does that mean you’d be cool with me taking you on a date?” It’s blunt—entirely too blunt, but the corners of Henry’s eyes crinkle and Alex can’t be too mad about that. He wraps a hand around Alex’s, tilting his head so their eyes are more level.
“On one condition.” Alex arches a brow. “You finish all those Oreos before you leave.” Henry rescues the package from Alex’s grip and narrows his eyes, and—fuck, he looks entirely too adorable for Alex to say no. He places the offending cookies in his mouth, chewing slowly so Henry is sure he eats them, blue eyes twinkling under the faint light of the sun.
Alex forgets to give his number to Henry. Not that it’s an issue—that night, he gets a text from an unknown number that sends butterflies through his heart.
Henry
Got this from your file—hope that’s okay.
How about Saturday?
There’s really only one right answer.
Alex
as long as there’ll be plenty of kissing