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“I love you. I’ll be as patient as you need.”
As Henry walked away from Alex, he could feel his eyes burning into him.
Alex will be patient, Henry thought. He said so. It’s not as if Henry doesn’t love him. Alex knows that… Surely, Alex knows that?
As he walked further away the world seemed to only grow dark and hazy around him. Alex, his love, his light, is boarding a plane and taking his heart with him.
‘This is the way it has to be’ the darkness whispers. ‘Imagine. Telling your brother. Telling your grandparents. The entire nation. What would they think? You’re not ready for that. They won’t accept you. The real you. Alex will give up on you eventually. Perhaps not today or tomorrow, or the first time you cower or the second but you will, and he’ll give up this entire infatuation. It’s better to be here. Safe. We’ll keep you safe. We always keep you safe’
Henry huffs and shakes his head. Soon. He’ll tell Alex soon. But perhaps you’re already too late. He needs to learn to be brave first. Alex deserves that. You don’t deserve him. Deserves someone who’s brave for him. Who will stand up for him. For them. ‘You’ve never stood up to anyone a day in your life, except Alex. How rich. And, sure Alex might love him already but-
Henry paused. The darkness paused too, almost bewildered by Henry’s new train of thought.
Alex loves him. Alex, who’s seen Henry in all his shades of grey. Who’s seen him at his best, his worst and his downright rude. Alex, who crossed an ocean for him, who isn’t afraid to tell Henry he loves him and that he’s an obtuse fucking asshole in the same goddamn breath. The man who’s heart he’s been entrusted with to keep.
Henry chokes out a laugh, eyes burning as he turns back to see Alex, still staring from the plane. He sucks in a staggered breath and moves towards him. Light and colour fill his vision and as the world comes back into focus he sees one thing, more clearly than he’s ever seen anything in his life and his name is Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz.
Henry sprints up the stairs to the plane as Alex tries to meet him halfway.
“Henry, what’s wrong?” Alex asked, his hands moving to Henry’s sides and face contorted with concern for him. Because he loves him. Goddamn the flutter in Henry’s heart when he recalls those words.
Henry took the face, that perfectly contorted face into his hands, “I want to be brave for you” Henry starts, his voice strained but somehow firm. “But I never learned how to stand up to my family or face my country with honesty. The only person I have ever truly been brave with, is you.” Henry sees Alex’s features morph from concern to something more curious, a small smile now playing on his lips.
Henry continued, “And one day I promise you I will shout my love for you from the rooftops of Buckingham Palace and on up on the Royal Balcony to everyone in England and I swear to you I will shout so loud they’ll hear it all they way from Britain to America, and then I’ll shout it from the White House just in case they somehow didn’t get the memo.” By this point Alex’s eyes filled will unshed tears as he beamed and pulled Henry in for a hug.
“I’m still learning how to brave everyone else” he continues, talking into Alex’s neck. “But you gave me a place…” Henry paused and lifted his hand to Alex’s heart. “… a place where the only thing I ever needed to be was myself. A place where I finally felt.. home. And I just- Even if I can’t tell the world yet, I wanted to tell you. Because you are the most important thing to me Alex and I never want you to question that. Ever.” He finished, looking Alex directly in the eyes, the tears now shed and streaming.
“Baby” this time Alex takes Henry’s face into his own hands. The plane has probably missed its time slot but he doesn’t give a shit. This is more important. “I would love to one day tell the world about us, so I can brag to everyone that Henry Fox is my boyfriend, suck on that world” Henry throws his head back and laughs, and Alex curls a palm around his neck and brings it back down to face him. “But, baby - I know your family force you to keep everything in. But know I would never force you out unless you wanted to come out. I just wanna be there with you. In or out or on a fucking roundabout, I don’t care. You and me baby. That’s all the promise I need.”
Henry grins and leans in, a breath away from Alex’s lips. “I love you” he says, so close he can practically feel the grin Alex sends back as his palms move up his neck and twist through his hair.
“I love you too” Alex whispers, then pulls him in for a goodbye kiss and, this time, Henry doesn’t hesitate.
He’s all in.