Work Text:
It's been a whole year since they’ve seen each other, their parents busy with their respective running of countries. But Alex misses Henry. They used to spend a lot more time together when they were toddlers, tiny footprints pressed into the sand, hand in hand with matching overalls. They'd been spending less time now since they'd gone to big boy school, their footprints still small but growing larger day by day, changing. And Alex quite frankly just misses his best friend, he wants to tell Henry all about his first year in school and how it felt turning six, he wanted to ask Henry how he was going in the grade above him, what it's like so Alex isn't as scared. Was it hard? Would Alex get through it ok? The occasional hijacking of their parents facetime wasnt enough, although it was fun, snatching the phone out of their hands, Catherine and Ellen chasing after them visible in the camera, faces plastered with annoyance but a softness of affection pulling on the edges. Alex still craved seeing Henry's face in person, his soft blond hair and his big blue eyes, the small details that couldn't be seen through a camera.
‘Alex darlin’, I have a surprise for you’ Ellen let out sweetly, sweeter than Alex’s favourite iced tea. Whilst she placed him into bed tucking him into the sheets. Alex just nodded in return, his eyes feeling so heavy and the warmth of the blankets started to spread through his chest, too tired to respond properly.
‘Henry’s coming to stay with us for a few days’ she said whilst placing a kiss on his forehead. And with that Alex jerked up so violently he smashed into her nose. His previous sleepiness completely trumped by the rush of excitement coursing through his body.
‘Henry’s staying with us?’ Alex said face full of shock and absolute unfiltered and undamped glee. His mouth lighting up into the largest smile, beaming brighter than the sun, displaying his two missing front teeth.
‘Yes sugar’ Ellen said, still holding onto her nose wincing in the pain but smiling at the adorableness nonetheless.
‘When? When is he staying with us?’ his voice practically dripping in excitement
‘He's coming tomorrow. You should sleep now sugar’ she said as she ran her hands through Alex’s curls and gently closed the door behind her. Safe to say that Alex barely got any sleep that night, his body absolutely buzzing with excitement. His brain zooming with things he wanted to say to Henry, thinking of the relief he'll feel when he sweeps Henry into a giant squeezy hug. The warmth between them melting together, intertwining. Will Henry look different? Will he look different to Henry? Will it all be different? A million thoughts swirling and cycling in his tiny head, all left unanswered and the anticipation sparking a tightness in his stomach. So much excitement, so much glee but always a tinge of worry, a tinge of uncertainty.
-
All of that worry melted away when he heard tiny footprints through the hall, leaving only boundless amounts of elation. The soft padding of feet on the hardwood, and a hush from his mother as an attempt to conceal Henry’s arrival. But nothing could hide the distinctive sound of Henry making his way through the hall. Alex knew the sound of his footsteps off by heart, the way they echoed around the house, the way they felt to his ears, the soft squelching of the velcro from his shoes as he took each step. Coming closer and closer, the doorknob turning now. Then Ellen peered her head through the door with a grin while Henry practically bolted through the tiny gap that was left open. A flash of blonde hair and blue clothing running at full speed towards him.
‘Henry!’ Alex practically squealed, as Henry closed the gap between them at lightning speed. Finally wrapping Henry up into a deadly tight hug with a thud from the force Henry was running at him with. The air knocking out of both their lungs. Henry felt so warm, so soft. It felt like roasting marshmallows by the campfire, like drinking tea with honey. Like his own portable ray of sunshine.
They spend the whole day talking and talking, Alex asking how school was going and Henry asking what he got for his birthday this year. They kept talking while clouds filled the sky. Alex hadn't noticed the sun's absence, he had his own personal ray of sun right with him. They kept talking about all the small things, and the large things, they definitely had a lot to catch up on. They were determined to relay detail after detail of their years, determined to let eachother know everything they'd missed, determined to not miss any detail from the other.
-
Alex’s body jumped at the sudden crack of thunder, the sound vibrating through the house. ‘You ok?’ Henry asked with a worried face placing his hand on his shoulder. Alex was completely fine, just startled by the sudden onset of the storm.
‘Yeah just shocked me is all’ Alex replied, continuing to play with the toy trains on his bed. Henry nodded apprehensively in response, not quite believing him.
Another strike of lightning came and followed by the crack and whip of thunder, this time closer, and infinitely louder. Alex jerked again out of instinct, the toy car flying out of his hand, landing with a thud on the floor, he wasn't scared just caught him off guard again. Henry’s look softened as he moved the toys off the bed. Without another word Henry wrapped Alex up in his arms holding him, keeping him steady. Alex wasn't actually scared but Henry thought he was, and he was fine with that because now Henry was holding him. He didn't want him to let go.
‘Its ok’ Henry said softly into Alex’s curls, and suddenly Alex felt like it was. Not just about the storm but about everything else. About why his parents are always fighting, about not seeing Henry as much, about everything seeming to change so fast he can't seem to settle, about everything being just out of his grasp, close enough to taunt him, not close enough to grab. Except Henry, so he clings with all he has, Henry being his anchor, his north star when he's lost at sea, his lifeboat on the titanic.
Another strike, louder this time, even closer. Alex felt like the storm was personally trying to track him down, trying to torment him. Ok maybe he was a little scared. Only a little. He squeezed onto Henry when the noise swept through the room, booming across the interior, his ears filling with the echoes of the piercing sounds. His hands gripping tighter across Henry’s torso chasing the absolute calm Henry always supplies. When Henry holds him it's like his brain stops, it goes quiet. He's a little scared of the thunder but also of having to let go of Henry, having to let go of the quiet. Having to let go of his anchor.
They stay like that, Alex’s grip loosening and relaxing, then tightening with every strike of lightning. Henry repeating soft, kind words into his hair, speaking them into existence with absolute reverence. The storm begins to settle and Alex’s eyes are shut with his head buried on Henry’s chest. He's not sure when they manoeuvred to be laying down but he's glad, because he is fighting to stay awake. Just as he starts to slip into sleep he feels Henry shift to move.
‘Will you stay with me?’ Alex says gently, grabbing Henry’s arm.
‘Always’ Henry says laying back down with a complete softness lacing his voice.
-
It’d become a thing. They were in college now, roommates, Alex not scared of storms anymore, ok maybe he still was just a little bit. But the cuddling had definitely become habit, whenever one of them was on the couch watching tv they'd end up cuddling. Whenever one of them had a bad day, coming home stressed nearing a panic attack, they cuddled. The deep blue of Henry’s eyes never failed to send a wave of calm down Alex’s body. Whenever they were eating dinner, legs touching under the table. Both feeling and recognising the utter safety they felt under each other’s touch, grounding them. It felt like home.
Alex had a particularly hard day, too long studying, his eyes sore and cross eyed from staring at his laptop. The icing on the cake, it started storming. He'd already been up for over 48 hours and finally at 3am he decided to call it quits from studying to sleep, only because the words on the page became unreadable even with his glasses. With the storm however sleep was off the table. As he got older he realised he wasn't scared of the storm itself but the loud and unpredictable noise that followed, reminding him of the slamming of doors and the shrieks of yelling that used to vibrate through the house, the feeling of adrenaline trickling down his spine. He didn't like to think much about that time, the constant fighting between his parents, the loud noises, the unpredictability. The feelings of powerlessness filling his gut and coursing through his veins.
Alex decided on walking out into the living room to put on the TV to help drown out the sounds of the storm. Slouching over onto the couch turning on whatever's playing at this time of night.
‘Alex?’ he hears Henry say softly from the other side of the room. ‘Can’t sleep?’ Henry’s voice like a lullaby to his ears.
‘Shit. Yeah sorry didn't mean to wake you. I’ll turn it down’ Alex said apologetically while picking up the remote to lower the volume.
‘No, it's ok I wasn't sleeping either’ Henry replied while joining Alex on the couch. ‘Come here’ Henry let out softly while holding out his arms for Alex. Alex did just that, he wrapped his arms around him. The familiar warmth spreading into his chest again, the feeling of complete ease . Alex let out an involuntary sigh as his whole body relaxed, letting go of tension he didn't even know he was holding. He heard Henry hum gently, relaxing too. They stayed like that, in eachothers arms for a while before shifting backwards into a more comfortable cuddling position on the couch. Alex felt his eyes getting heavy, maybe he was going to get some much needed sleep after all. Almost as if on cue Henry shifted to sitting upright pulling Alex with him. ‘We should stop or I will fall asleep on this couch and my back will hate me for it.’ He said laced around a yawn.
‘You're right’ Alex replied, his voice sleepy and soft. Alex sat up properly and shifted down the couch looking back at the TV. Although he knew Henry was right he really didn't want to stop being in his arms. The storm was still kicking the thunder booming and Alex craved the quiet he felt when he was close to Henry. Henry started walking back to his room, reaching the doorway then spinning on his heels walking back over to Alex, face full of trepidation. He extended his arm out to Alex ‘Come stay with me’ he whispered, so softly it was only barely audible over the blaring of the TV and the sounds of the storm.
‘Always’ Alex let out, turning off the TV and accepting his hand as they moved into Henry’s bedroom. His body singing with relief. He got to be in Henry’s arms tonight.
Alex slipped into Henry’s bed, feeling the ridiculously soft egyptian cotton sheets against his skin. His pillows, soft, plush. And his mattress, no doubt ridiculously expensive, his body melted into it. ‘I’m sleeping in here every night’ Alex said half muffled by a pillow pressing into the side of his mouth.
‘I wouldn't complain’ Henry said with a small laugh, while he followed Alex, shuffling under the sheets.
‘I will take you up on that H’ Alex said as he shifted till his body was pressed against Henry’s wrapping his arms around him. Their noses brushing, laying on their sides, face to face, breath tracing on skin. Here up close Alex got to see Henry in all of his glory, being decorated by the moonlight that was coming through the gap in the blinds. The soft projection of it highlighting those irritatingly perfect cheekbones, and those eyes, absolutely piercing. Henry has always been objectively gorgeous, but it's occurred to Alex this is the first time he just let himself look. Without thinking much Alex chased those cheekbones with the tracing of his thumb, the way it felt under his touch was absolutely devastating. What was more devastating however was the feeling of Henry shiver under his touch. For a moment he swears he sees Henry’s eyes flicker down to his lips. For a second he wondered what it would feel like to have his lips on him. That was definitely new.
Alex wasn't sure what to do with that information, surely it's just because they're close. Surely it doesn't mean much. Then Henry was leaning in, then Henry’s lips were on his, then…… oh. It was everything. Henry’s soft, so soft , plump lips on his, making the ridiculously expensive mattress underneath them feel like a rock in comparison. Their mouths moving in synchrony, slotting together like puzzle pieces, like they were designed to do just this and only this. The feeling of Henry so close, he felt whole, complete. Maybe this entire time that's exactly what they were, two halves of the same soul, tugging at each other's hearts from across the ocean. It felt so right. They felt so right.
‘I’m definitely taking you up on that offer’ Alex lets out after they pull away,
Henry chuckles then replies ‘Please do’