Work Text:
one
See, Henry is having a bad day at work. It's a whole thing. He's running on three hours of sleep, he's had an argument with his grandmother, and he can feel his exhaustion down to his bones. He feels heavy with it. It weighs him down. He wishes he could just go back home.
Usually, he loves his job. He'd picked it up two years ago, at twenty-one, just so he could exhaust himself to sleep, but he genuinely enjoys working as a barista now. He finds the concept of methodically making the drinks comforting, and even though he doesn't like the taste of coffee, there's something incredibly soothing about the way it smells. He wishes he could bottle the scent of Brewed Awakening-- he instantly relaxes the second he steps into this place. His jaw unclenches and his shoulders go down, they're less tense. It doesn't hurt that Pez, his best friend, had applied for the job with him. It makes life easier, having him around.
Anyway. Yeah, he's having a bad day. He feels like his head is filled with cotton and it hurts to think. He still has five more hours till he can clock out, rush home and cuddle with David, his dog, while watching Bake Off. Five hours till he can turn his brain off. It feels like a lifetime away. He's on cashier duty today, which means he has less chances of fucking things up. The last time he was having a bad day, he'd made seven drinks wrong and he's pretty sure the only reason he wasn't fired was because Shaan, the owner, knows how much he still struggles with sleeping. Henry is incredibly grateful to him. He owes him so much.
Henry is standing at the counter, thanking the Gods that there're hardly any customers during the rush hour this afternoon (he knows this is exactly what he shouldn't be grateful for, but he's exhausted, alright?) when the most stunning man Henry has ever seen in his life walks into the cafe. His skin is tanned and his curls are falling all over the place. The man runs a muscled hand through his hair, messing it up even further and Henry knows he's just let out a squeak when he hears Pez let out a chuckle. His eyes are brown and they look so warm that Henry feels the remaining part of his brain shut down. Shit.
"Hey," the man grins widely as he walks to the counter, and Henry knows he's going to make a fool out of himself the second he sees the man smile. He's fucked.
"Hi! I'm Henry. What can I get you today?" he says, and he feels extremely proud of himself for not stuttering. He should be given award. Or a medal. For his bravery. He's being very brave.
"Hey, uh, can I get an espresso with three shots, please?" There's a sheepish smile on his face, probably because of the amount of shots he's ordering. Henry might be in love.
"Sure, that'll be £3.50. Can I get you anything else?"
"No, I'm good," Alex says, a little furrow between his eyebrows.
Henry nods, punching the 'Finish' button. Just as he's about to ask the man if he'd like a receipt, he interrupts.
"Wait, sorry, can you make that four shots if it's not a bother?"
Henry would've been pissed if somebody else had done that when he's having a day like this, but this man was so beautiful that he found himself not caring. He'd correct a thousand orders if he had to. Henry looks at his apologetic face and the way he's biting his lip in worry and his brain shut down. God, how is this man so bloody attractive without even trying.
"Alright," Henry says, snapping his eyes to the register, correcting the man's order. "Please hold me."
A beat of silence. Then, "On. Please hold on," he hastily corrects, his eyes wide, the blood rushing to his cheeks, turning them scarlet.
Fuck, he's going to kill himself. Henry closes his eyes in embarrassment, taking a deep breath in. He doesn't want to risk taking a look at the gorgeous man who's probably laughing at him now. Fuck his life.
He hears Pez cackle, and throws him a glare. When he dares to look back at the man, there's a teasing grin on his face, his eyes lit up in amusement. Henry feels his stomach swoop.
"All you had to do was ask, sweetheart," the man laughs and Henry is sure he's never been as red as he is now. He can feel his face and it's on fire. God, this is embarrassing. He wants to die.
"I'm so sorry," he apologises. "Sorry, that came out all wrong. That'll be £4.00." His eyes don't leave the register, willing the ground to open up and swallow him whole.
"Don't worry about it, you just made my day," the man says and there's a hint of laughter in his voice. Henry tries to make as little eye contact as possible while the man pays and he busies himself with wiping the the machines until he collects his drink and leaves.
As soon as the door closes behind him, Pez is right there. There's a borderline maniacal grin on his face.
"So, that was some interaction, huh?"
Henry lets out a groan, burying his face in his hands. Five hours.
two
Alex has a routine. He likes to plan things meticulously and he loves making lists. He has a schedule. He may not always stick to it, but he likes doing things a certain way. He likes having a plan. He's also a little impulsive. He's grinning to himself when he thinks of how he'd walked into Brewed Awakening instead of his normal coffee place a couple of days ago and met Henry. Sometimes, he's really glad that he likes changing things up.
See, the thing is. The thing is he hasn't been able to stop thinking of Henry. He hasn't been able to stop thinking about blond hair, crystal blue eyes, and collarbones that he desperately wants to get his mouth on. Don't even get him started on the blush that had creeped up on Henry's face when he'd accidentally asked Alex to hold him. Fuck, Alex wants to. He'd been so embarrassed and Alex wanted to jump over the counter and wrap his arms around Henry. That would've been weird though, so he'd settled on calling him 'sweetheart,' his heart beating faster when he saw Henry blushing harder.
The thing is he wants to see him again. He wants to see him everyday. He gives himself four days before going back. He hopes to see Henry there.
When Alex walks in, Henry is right at the counter talking to a customer and Alex is so glad that he could scream. He feels like a teenage girl with a crush and it should be embarrassing, but fuck him, Henry is fucking gorgeous. It should be illegal, he thinks to himself. He's going to marry this man, he swears.
As he waits for his turn, he can feel his skin buzzing. He's restless. He hopes Henry recognises him. It's a long shot, he sees hundreds of people everyday, but he hopes.
When it's his chance, Henry looks up and there's a blush slowly blooming on his face. He looks exhausted, but Alex has never found him prettier.
"You," Henry says automatically, almost accusatory, and then there's a guilty expression on his face as if he hadn't meant to say anything. Alex is fucking charmed. His heart is Henry's. It's gone. He's never going to be the same again. Everything this man does is so endearing to him, it shouldn't be allowed.
"Me!" he exclaims, his smile growing. "I'm Alex," he says because he wants Henry to know. To remember.
"Hi, Alex," Henry says, still blushing. Alex wonders if it would be weird if he took out his phone to take a picture so he could remember this forever. Probably.
"What can I get you today?" Henry continues, and even though there are deep bruises under his eyes, they remind Alex of the ocean during the summer. Fuck, Henry is making Alex cheesy.
"An iced coffee, four shots of espresso, please."
Henry looks exhausted. He moves as if it is taking a lot out of him and his movements are slow. Lethargic. He feels his eyebrows furrow in worry. He wants to wrap him up in a blanket and make him a cup of tea. Henry doesn't look like a coffee guy, he notes.
"That'll be £4.50. Do you want a receipt?" Henry asks. The way Henry's voice wraps around the words makes him a little feral.
He doesn't want one and it's desperate, but he hopes their fingers will brush when Henry hands the receipt over. So.
"Yes. Thanks, Henry."
He pays as Henry nods absently, waiting for the receipt to print. Then, as if he was operating on autopilot, Henry throws it away. Stares at it in the trash before he realises what he's done.
After a second, he lifts his eyes to look at Alex, eyes wide, that pretty blush on his face again. Alex is a goner. How can someone fucking up be this endearing.
"God, I'm so sorry!" Henry exclaims, and Alex is horrified to see that his eyes are welling up. He wants to shield him so that nothing bad can touch Henry.
"I'll. Just... I'll print another one out. I'm really very sorry, I'm wasting your time. I know it-"
Alex interrupts before he can spiral. There's no more customers in the line and he has all the time in the world. He wants to reassure him. Alex wonders if he's having a bad day. Wonders if it would be weird to ask him if he could help in any way.
"Sweetheart, breathe," he gently interrupts. "It's okay, really," he throws him a smile, hoping it calms Henry down. Stops him from breaking down. If he makes Henry's work a little easier, he'll do it.
"I'm not in a rush. At all. I was just going to hang around in the cafe. Plus, don't worry about the receipt," he shrugs. "Really. It's alright. You're fine."
Henry throws him a cautious smile and Alex knows there's nothing he wouldn't do for this man.
"I promise, there's really no problem," Alex repeats, just in case and Henry beams.
Alex is a dead man walking.
three
Henry is no stranger to having multiple bad days in a row. He's having his fifth bad day in a row today and he's not even sure if he's taking the orders down correct. He would've asked for a day off, but he knows he'd end up staring at the ceiling, regretting all his life choices. So, here he is.
However, here's a silver lining. Alex has been coming in for a couple of weeks now and after the first two times, Henry's managed to not fuck anything up. Today, though. He's not sure he can function normally today. Alex has stuck around, idly chatting about anything that comes to his mind as he sits at the breakfast bar by the register and talks his heart out. He keeps on grinning at Henry, throwing him looks, and Henry loves this man. He's not only stunning, but he's witty. Intelligent. Funny. Considerate. A little chaotic at times. He ticks all of Henry's boxes. He tiredly smiles as he remembers Alex ranting about Star Wars and how Henry's favourite film was the wrong one. And how could he name his dog David, really, Henry?
Henry's standing at the counter when Alex walks in and he's hit with a strong feeling of déjà vu. Alex smiles as they make eye contact, and scanning his eyes over Henry quickly. Henry's heart skips a beat.
"Hello, Alex. What can I get you today?"
"Hey, sweetheart. Hm, I feel like an iced coffee today. Fo-"
"Four shots of espresso, I know," Henry's lip tug up a little as he types in the order.
"That'll be £4.50, please!" Alex exclaims before he can say anything. Smiles when Henry lets out a low laugh.
"You're here too much," Henry teases. His brain feels foggy, but he always looks forward to their banter.
"You love it," Alex says. "No straw. I have my own," he says.
Despite wanting to talk to Alex, Henry's brain wanders. He's exhausted, he's running on two hours of sleep. Plus, he'd spent the night working on his dissertation, which is an essential to fulfil the requirements of his Master of English Literature degree.
He hasn't really processed what Alex had said, but it was something about straws. Not thinking, he grabs a couple of straws and thrusts them towards Alex.
Alex takes them, a confused look on his face. No straws, he realises after a beat. Alex had said no straws.
"Oh," Henry blinks. "Sorry. No straws," he repeats dubiously, holding out a hand to grab them back.
He rubs a hand over his face, letting out a sigh. Six hours and he's done with this shift.
"Sweetheart, are you feeling alright?" Alex says and his concern is so obvious that it warms Henry up.
"Yes, sorry. Just running a little low on sleep," Henry sighs and Alex nods.
"You don't have to apologise, Henry. That must suck."
They've talked about Henry's trouble with sleeping, but Alex hasn't seen how bad it gets since the last time Henry had thrown the receipt away. On days like these, Henry feels like such a failure. Like he can't do anything right. But looking at Alex, looking at that soft look in his eyes, Henry thinks it's okay to be tired sometimes.
It's okay to rely on the kindness of others.
"Yeah, there's nothing I can do about it though."
Alex smiles at him sadly. "Well, let me know if there's anything I can do to help, alright? I'm sure Shaan won't mind me helping out. He loves me too much."
Henry looks at him and the gratitude in his eyes is tangible. Alex can almost touch it.
"Thanks, Alex," he whispers. His body's exhausted, but his heart is light.
four
It's been two months. Two whole months of pining after Henry. Two months of going to Brewed Awakening, just so Alex can hear Henry's voice. They've been talking a lot. Alex has been there every single day over the past two months. Sometimes he goes over just to talk to Henry. To Pez. Sometimes, he takes his coursework with him. He lets Henry's soothing voice calm him as he works. It's relaxing. When he's not there, he's constantly texting Henry. He loves talking to that man.
He's also thought about Henry an unhealthy amount. Obviously, when he's at the cafe. When he's at university. When he's home. When he's in the shower. Especially when he's in the shower. There's just something about Henry he cannot get enough of. His dumb blond hair, his stupid, perfect eyes. The way he's built. His shoulders. His waist. God, his shoulder to waist ratio is actually insane. His voice. He's stupidly kind. The way he's so passionate about what he studies. Alex swears he can hear Henry talk about Jane Austen for hours. His eyes light up and he gets so animated. He's in trouble. Alex knows he's in love. He just needs to gather the courage to tell Henry that.
When he walks into Brewed Awakening that afternoon, Henry is nowhere to be seen. Alex feels his eyebrows furrow. He hadn't mentioned anything about a day off.
"Looking for loverboy?" Pez says, a teasing tilt to his lips.
"Oh," he says sheepishly. "That obvious?"
"Only to me, darling. And Shaan. And Zahra. An-" Pez says.
"Okay, okay, I get it," he laughs.
"Don't worry, he'll be here in a minute. He's just taking an important call. Do you want me to take your order?"
"No, I'll wait."
Pez turns around to make other drinks, but not before he throws Alex a knowing smirk.
Henry hastily walks in behind the counter after a minute, tying his apron around his hips. Fuck, it does wonders for his waist. Alex wants to grip it and leave bruises behind so everyone knows Henry's taken. Anyway. Calm down, Alex.
"Apologise," Henry says distractedly, his eyes red-rimmed. He looks like he's two seconds away from crying or falling asleep or both. Alex wants to hold him to his chest.
"I'm... Sorry...?" Alex says, his brows furrowed in confusion.
"Oh God," Henry mutters, flinching slightly in embarrassment. There's that blush again. "I meant to say, I apologise."
"Ah. Don't worry 'bout it, darling. Everything okay?"
"Yes," he mutters darkly. Pauses for a second. "No. Philip called. Wanted to talk about my coming out thing. Like apologising after kicking me out for three years makes everything okay. Like him wanting to change means I have to forgive him right away."
He's shaking and Alex moves forward to rest a hand on his forehand. He looks around for Shaan, wanting to ask him if Henry can take a break, but before he can ask the question, Shaan is already nodding.
"Sweetheart, hey. Come on, we're taking a break," he gently says, worry instantly filling his chest. He pulls Henry to a booth, shoves him inside and slides in, immediately taking his hand. He rubs his thumb over the back of Henry's hand and he sees his shoulders drop.
"Darling, I know the whole situation sucks. You don't have to forgive him. You don't owe him anything. If he wants you to forgive him so that his conscience is clear then that's on him. You don't owe him a damn thing. Just because he's family doesn't mean you have to let things go. If you want to forgive him, that's your decision. If you never want to forgive him, that's okay, too. What he did was fucking horrible. I know it made you feel like shit for years. You're so brave, sweetheart. I'm so proud of you. Look at you," Alex murmurs, taking his hands away so he can cup Henry's cheeks.
Henry's crying now and Alex wants to kill Philip. How dare he hurt Henry like this for years at an end. How dare he make Henry feel like shit for who he is.
"Look at you," he repeats reverently, wiping Henry's tears away. "Such a big heart, darling. You're so kind. Willing to love people. Willing to give them your everything. You're so good, Henry. Fuck Philip. Fuck him," Alex declares, pulling Henry to his chest when his shoulders start shaking. He pushes Henry's face in the crook of his neck, turning around to shield him from the cafe. Nobody will see him cry. Shit, Alex loves him so much he's willing to burn the world to the ground if it ever hurts him.
He stays there, letting Henry let everything out, gently running a hand through his hair. He doesn't need coffee, he just needs Henry to feel safe. To feel loved.
five
So. Here he is again. Henry's having a bad day again. Philip had called him two days ago, and he'd taken yesterday off. Alex had texted him throughout and he'd gotten as much sleep as he could've. Not that it was a lot. He's mentally exhausted and he just wishes he could be a normal person and sleep for two days straight. He just wants his mind to shut up.
Now, at the first hour of his shift, Alex is right there. Like he knows Henry needs someone. Henry loves him, really.
He stares at Alex blankly as he stops in front of the counter, a grin on his face. Henry's glad to see him, but his mind is worlds away.
"Thanks, have a good day," Henry says flatly, handing Alex a straw. Pez lets out a distressed sound somewhere in the background. Then, he rushes to the backroom.
They stare at each other for a second. He doesn't know what his face is doing, but Alex's is full of concern, his eyes tearing up like he feels terrible about seeing Henry like this.
"I... I forgot to take your order," Henry finally mutters when his brain catches up, blinking slowly, looking at Alex clutching the straw.
"Baby," Alex whispers as if his heart is breaking, and despite everything, Henry feels himself shiver at the pet name.
Henry stands there, not knowing what to do with himself. He feels lost. He's had bad days before, yeah. They've never been his bad though. Before he can say anything, Pez is rushing back out, Shaan in tow.
"Henry," Shaan says, the concern clear in his voice. "Go home. Take a few days off. You need it. The cafe will be here. Get some rest," he says as he rests a hand on Henry's shoulder, squeezing briefly.
"But..." Henry starts. "What will I do?" He says, and he knows he sounds lost. Alex lets out a wounded noise.
"Henry, sweetheart. You're staying with me," Alex says, going around the counter to wrap an arm around his waist.
Shaan nods in approval.
"I'll come visit you later, okay? Alex, text me your address, please. I'll bring you those Jaffa Cakes you love so much, Hen. I love you," Pez says, giving Henry a hug.
Henry just stands there until Alex gently pulls him away. He's still in that weird headspace and he cannot process what's happening fully.
"Baby," Alex says and that gets his attention. He looks at Alex, who looks so worried that Henry wants to apologise. He would if he could get his mouth to move.
"No," Alex says firmly, ask if he knows what Henry was thinking. "I know you. I know what's going through your head. You don't have to apologise."
Henry sluggishly nods. Alex walks him to his car, opening the passenger door to let him in. He leans over to do up his seatbelt and Henry thinks he would've turned into a blushing mess if he was more alert. He simply lets Alex make sure he's safe and tries to take a nap as he lets the city's noise hum him to sleep.
He's half-asleep when they come to a stop. He's in the weird space between being awake and dreaming and just as he's convincing himself to open his eyes, he hears his car door open. Alex undoes his seatbelt. Slides his hands under his knees and over his back as he gently lifts Henry out of the car, making sure to not hit his head. Henry has never felt so safe before. Smiling slightly, he lets his head rest on Alex's chest as he finally gives up and falls asleep, trusting Alex to take care of him.
plus one
Alex is going to do it. He's going to ask Henry to be his boyfriend. He knows they haven't been on a date officially, but he knows both of them feel the connection. He knows they love each other. What's the use in delaying the inevitable?
He smiles as he thinks about Henry falling asleep around him the other day. He'd carried him to his bedroom, dressed him in Alex's favourite hoodie and tucked him in. Then, Alex had slept on the couch. Henry'd woken up after a full twelve hours. It was a weird thing to be proud of, but Alex was so fucking proud of Henry for trusting him enough to sleep around him.
When he'd woken up, all sleep-mused and messy haired, Alex had to sit on his hands lest he pulled Henry towards him to kiss him senseless. Henry had stayed over for three days, Pez visiting them every night after work. It had been so domestic, Alex wanted to die. He made Henry coffee, Henry wore his clothes, they cooked together, and after the first night, Henry'd asked him if they could cuddle. Alex was a happy, happy man. He'd had the best sleep of his life, wrapped around Henry, who fit right in Alex's life. God, he was so in love.
As he walks in the cafe, he sees Henry at the counter. There's a line and Henry is frazzled. Even though everything about his actions is rushed, his shoulders are relaxed, his jaw unclenched. Alex is glad he's having a better day today. When it's his turn, Alex knows he can't linger. There are people waiting behind him and he needs to be quick. It's annoying, but there's nothing he can do about it. Bantering while ordering might just be his favourite Alex&Henry thing. He's sure kissing Henry will replace that soon.
Once he's done ordering and paying, Henry hurriedly says, "Find me if you want a problem."
Then, he pauses as he lets out a little laugh. Shakes his head. "Sorry, I meant, find me if you have a problem. I know there's a less shot of espresso in your coffee. So, if you want one more, on the house..."
Alex smiles, feeling as though there's a sun right where his heart should be. Henry's laugh is so radiant and Alex wants to bathe in it. "You know what," he says. "I do want a problem. Find me once you're done."
Henry's a little confused as he nods, but his expression clears as Alex moves away to let the customer behind him order.
A couple of hours later, Henry slides into the seat opposite him, throwing Alex a grin. He can see Henry's gums, his dimple just peeking out. Alex is going to kill himself. Cause of death: Henry's real smile.
They leave the cafe, Alex waving Pez goodbye.
"Hi," Henry says as they stand outside, bumping his shoulder into Alex's. He's in a playful mood and Alex loves it.
"Busy day?"
"Mhm, but it wasn't too bad. Y'know after the whole 'find me if you want a problem' thing," Henry laughs.
"Yeah, about that," Alex starts, his heart beating so fast that he feels like it's going to escape his chest. It's now or never. He slowly lets himself reach out, his fingers intertwining with Henry's. Henry's blushing and he looks so pretty that Alex's breath catches.
They walk for a bit, letting the words linger. Alex is trying to say something and Henry waits patiently, a small smile on his face. They come to a stop as Henry unlocks his apartment. They walk in and Alex pushes Henry against the door, cupping his face, brushing his thumbs over Henry's cheeks.
"So, about that, there's this guy who works at this cafe. Fucking gorgeous. I think my heart literally stopped the first time I saw him. He's the most precious person I know. He's my favourite, actually. I want to give him the fucking world. I've known him for months. He's a disaster some days, though. He has a real problem, sweetheart, I tell you," he says, resting his forehead against Henry's.
"I was wondering if he wants to be my problem," Alex murmurs as he looks at Henry, his eyes hopeful.
Henry lets out a delighted laugh, wrapping his arms around Alex's neck, nudging their noses together.
"Are you calling me a problem, you bloody demon?"
"Well, I'd rather be calling you my problem, baby, not a problem, but y'know, semantics," Alex grins.
And Henry? Well, Henry just has to lean down to kiss that grin off of his boyfriend's face.