Work Text:
without a warning,
I realize your laugh
is the best sound I have ever heard
—
“Come here, Snow White.”
Henry makes a show of rolling his eyes at Alex, but he still shuffles forward to where Alex is waiting with an open spray bottle of SPF 50 sunscreen.
“Must you call me names in front of an entire water park full of guests?”
“I can call you other names, if you’d prefer,” Alex says, putting a hand over Henry’s eyes as he sprays down his shoulders and then moves down his chest. Henry flinches slightly at the cool sensation. “Baby, sweetheart,” he lists, moving down to Henry’s abdomen and smirking when he hears Henry’s breath catch. “Best sex of my life, monster co-”
“Alright,” Henry cuts him off, glancing skyward helplessly as Alex turns him around to get his back covered in sunscreen, too. “You really shouldn’t be allowed in public.”
“Can’t stop me without going through all the paperwork,” Alex deadpans, snickering when Henry huffs indignantly. But Alex can see the edges of his smile, even from behind him, as he finishes rubbing the protectant into his back. “Okay, Casper, you already got your face, right?”
Henry sighs, turning back around to face him. “Yes, dear.”
“Good.” Alex presses a quick kiss to his lips. “Now, what do you want to do first?”
—
It had been something Alex committed to not too long after they moved into the brownstone together—a quest to take Henry on as many fun dates as possible. It had started with an aquarium visit a month ago, when he’d realized that Henry had never really gotten to experience going on actual dates. All of his past relationships were so wrapped up in secrecy and NDAs, and even with Alex, their dates are usually nights at home or sometimes, maybe, a trip to a nice restaurant.
It had made Alex sad at the time, to think of all the silly outings Henry had never had a chance to experience. So, he has a list in his phone that he’s been adding to—beach trips, zoos, kayaking, Broadway musicals—Alex wants Henry to be able to do everything he’s never been able to do. He fucking deserves that.
Alex will consider himself lucky just to be the one standing beside him while he gets to truly live.
A water park, while Henry had expressed several concerns about sanitation, was at the top of the list. As soon as it had gotten warm enough, Alex worked out all the logistics. It's during the week, so it's less crowded. PPOs and Secret Service are around, somewhere, but have explicit instructions not to hover.
And Alex is determined to get Henry to have fun, and hopefully not get his ass sunburned in the process.
“This is terrifying,” Henry says from near the top of the staircase for the tube slide. He watches with trepidation as someone disappears into the slide in front of them, glancing at Alex with wide eyes.
Alex hides his smile behind the double tube slung over his shoulder. “It’s fun, trust me.”
Henry hardly seems convinced, staring back at the opening of the slide with a frown. When they get to the front of the line, he gingerly slides into the front portion of the tube, and Alex climbs on behind him, wrapping his legs around Henry’s waist. He’s sort of expecting Henry to make a snide remark about Alex pressing a heel to the inside of his thigh playfully, but instead Henry brushes his thumb gently across the inside of Alex’s ankle.
He hopes that the slide operator chalks his shiver up to the cold water.
The slide has one big drop at the beginning, and Henry yelps before gripping the handles on the side of the tube tightly when they go down it. Then, as it swirls in a circle and they swing up the side slightly as they round a bend, Alex hears Henry fucking giggle, the smallest, most beautiful sound. He leans back a bit, his shoulders pressing to Alex's thighs, and laughs again as they go down another small dip before splashing into the pool below.
Henry is smiling as they clamber out of the tube and deposit it back on top of the pile, but he visibly works to rein it in when he catches Alex smirking at him.
“You liked it.”
The forced nonchalance only lasts another moment, and then Henry is sighing, and grinning, and taking Alex's hand. “I suppose it was quite fun.”
“Fun.”
Henry reaches up with his free hand to scratch at his neck. “Exciting, perhaps.”
“You giggled.”
“You must have misheard due to all of the water sounds, love.” Before Alex can retort, Henry is tugging him along via their linked fingers. “So, what's next?”
They wind up in the lazy river, in large, single tubes that hold them relatively easily, and Alex tilts his head back and lets the sun sink into his skin for a long moment with his eyes closed. He always loved anything dealing with water growing up—lakes and beaches and even water parks all included. There was something about the sunshine, the wrinkled skin that occurs after being in the water too long, the way a warm towel feels when it’s finally wrapped around his shoulders at the end of the day, chasing away the chill that the water left behind.
He hopes Henry can feel the magic of it, too.
When Alex opens his eyes and glances over at Henry, his head is lolled back and his eyes are shut, and he’s wearing a pleased smile on his face.
Alex watches him, letting his gaze trail down over his toned thighs and up his lean torso, to broad shoulders that lead into the lines of his neck, his sharp jaw and the way his facial features are a stark contrast, soft and relaxed.
A knot gets stuck in his throat unexpectedly, his stare lingering on Henry's faint smile. Somehow, it still takes him by surprise how suddenly that rush of affection can swell in his chest, overwhelming his entire system. Even after all this time, Alex keeps finding more room in his heart for his love to grow and deepen as the days pass. It's something he's accepted—he will continue to fall more in love with Henry until the day he dies.
He just never expected to have a shift so profound in the middle of a goddamn water park.
Henry's mouth moves without him opening his eyes. “You’re staring.”
“You’re beautiful,” Alex says immediately, automatically.
Blue eyes open to roll fondly at him. “Not just looking at my thighs, then?”
Pointedly, Alex lets his attention shift back down to Henry's legs and the swim trunks clinging to his skin and slightly riding up to near his waist on one side. He purposefully lets his eyelashes flutter as his gaze lingers there, delighted when Henry makes a noise low in the back of his throat. “Well, I am now.”
Henry clears his throat. “You're incorrigible.”
“I don't usually hear you complaining.”
“Yes, well, it's rare that you're listening, darling,” Henry scoffs, but his eyes are bright.
Alex shakes his head and reaches out to loosely tangle their fingers together, tugging Henry's tube closer and moving like he’s going to kiss him. Henry is leaning in, too, only for Alex to shift suddenly and flip his tube over. Henry disappears briefly beneath the surface of the shallow water, sputtering a bit when he stands and shoots Alex a glare that holds no genuine heat.
The lifeguard whistles at them that they have to be in tubes, and they chuckle as Henry gets back in, continuing to float as the water moves them along.
After a moment, Henry looks over at him, clearly sulking. “I’m rather sad now.”
“About the lifeguard reprimanding us?” Alex kicks at his tube gently. “Don’t worry about it—they’re just doing their jobs.”
Henry’s brow furrows. “No, not that.”
“Then, what is it?”
“I didn’t get my kiss.”
He’s actually pouting now, big blue eyes aimed criminally in Alex’s direction. Sighing, Alex reaches over and tugs him closer via the handle on his tube, picking up Henry's hand to bring it to his lips. Henry scrunches his nose, narrowing his eyes like he knows that Alex knows that isn't what he wanted.
But then Henry smiles and leans back and closes his eyes, keeping their hands laced together as they fall back into a relaxed silence.
Jesus, Alex loves him.
When they get out a few minutes later, Alex winds his arms around Henry’s waist on the stairs leading out of the water, cups Henry’s jaw in his hand, and kisses him, tongue licking between the seam of his lips in a way that he probably shouldn’t be exhibiting where children are present. Henry hums appreciatively against his mouth and leans into it, fingers finding Alex's curls as their chests press together.
When they pull away, Alex grins. “You got your kiss. Good?”
Henry smiles, giving him another quick peck. “Better, for sure.”
“I cannot, in good conscience, make it up to you any more than that without getting us permanently banned from this water park.”
“No?” Henry rakes his gaze down Alex’s torso. “Hm, that’s a pity.”
“You just said I was incorrigible.”
Henry leans in and whispers against the shell of his ear, “I never said I wasn’t.”
Alex fights back a groan, shooting Henry a glare. “You also don’t play fucking fair.”
A little girl squeals as she darts out of the lazy river to their left, and, begrudgingly, Henry puts some space between their bodies, taking his hand. “I’ll behave.”
“Yeah,” Alex says dismissively, but he squeezes Henry’s palm. “Sure you will.”
They spend the rest of the afternoon traveling between the lazy river and some of the water slides, trying out the giant wave pool once and only once, as Henry quickly gives up after accidentally inhaling large mouthfuls of water two separate times within five minutes. Eventually, Alex drags Henry to the small play area with the giant bucket that tips over in regular intervals. He spends several moments glancing up and then back down to where they’re standing and adjusting their location, making sure they’re in the perfect position for when the water inevitably crashes down on them.
Henry lets out a squeak of delight at the rush of cold water, and Alex watches him and lets that happiness seep into his skin, his bones, his heart. He presses it back into Henry with the touch of his lips to Henry’s jaw, and Henry blinks down at him, his grin wide and unrestrained and gummy—Alex’s favorite.
Before they leave, Alex insists that they have to get Dippin’ Dots from the small kiosk near the entrance, not giving Henry much room for argument. Henry gets Cookies and Cream and Alex gets Rainbow Ice, and they sit at a small table under an umbrella to eat their treats.
At the first bite, Henry blinks rapidly, licking around the corners of his mouth. “ Oh.”
“Good, right?”
“Deceptively so,” Henry hums, sliding another spoonful into his mouth.
Alex beams. “I told you so.”
“Would you like to hear that you were right?”
“Can’t hurt.”
Henry leans over to smack a kiss to his cheek, sticky and sweet. “Darling, love of my life, keeper of my heart.” He pauses, mischief burning bright in his eyes. “You were right. The treat is delicious.”
“I know that was difficult for you, thank you,” Alex tells him, and Henry slides another scoop past his lips, biting playfully down on the spoon around his lopsided grin.
Alex looks at the pink hue on his cheeks and the matching color on his shoulders that trails slightly down his arm, reaching up to brush his fingers over the skin. His freckles are more prominent after the day in the sun, and Alex traces lines between them with the pad of his thumb. “You’re going to be a little sunburnt, my darling tortilla.”
“I beg your pardon.” Henry puts his spoon into the nearly empty container and sets the entire thing down on the table, turning to fix Alex with a skeptical stare. “Your what?”
“All these freckles that are popping out make you look kind of like a tortilla,” Alex explains.
Henry blinks, jaw hanging slightly open. “I—I’m not sure how I’m supposed to take that.”
Alex’s fingers are still steadily mapping out a pattern on his shoulders, but he meets Henry’s eyes to grin. “One of my favorite things to eat.”
Henry’s expression shifts, and he swallows. “Oh?”
“Kind of want to bite them,” Alex says, running his tongue slowly over his lips and watching as it makes Henry’s eyes darken. He recovers quickly, glancing around at the other patrons near them before picking his ice cream back up.
“You are the bane of my existence,” he says, staring pointedly at the dessert in his hands.
Alex pokes his bottom lip out. “Why? Because I’m making you horny in the middle of a water park dining area?”
Henry rolls his eyes, but he moves his knee until it’s pressed against Alex’s. Their damp skin clings together a bit, but Alex pushes back with equal pressure as they finish their Dippin’ Dots. He pretends not to notice the wide grin that Henry hides behind his ice cream, but it’s a direct jolt of electricity in his veins, still just as thrilling as it’s always been.
In the car, with towels wrapped around them even as they dampen the seats underneath them, Alex curls into Henry’s shoulder and presses his mouth to Henry’s neck. His skin tastes like sunshine and chlorine, and Alex inhales deeply through his nose.
“Did you have fun?”
“I always have fun with you,” Henry tells him easily, leaning his cheek into Alex’s hair. “But yes, this was enjoyable. Although, I do expect you to rub aloe on my sunburn.”
Alex lifts his head and brushes a thumb over Henry’s pink cheek. He thinks the color darkens underneath the touch, but it’s difficult to tell. “You got it, baby doll.”
Henry purses his lips, but one corner twitches dangerously. “You know, if you continue to expand on pet names so obnoxiously, it will eventually lose its charm.”
“Has it yet, baby sweetcheeks?”
Now, more pink definitely rises on Henry’s cheeks that has nothing to do with the sun. “No.”
“Good.” Alex leans forward to give him a quick kiss, and then another, and then one more. He always finds it difficult to stop himself, especially when Henry is looking at him like that. “I love you.”
Henry’s answering smile is vibrant, the most beautiful thing Alex has ever seen. “I love you, too.”
Back home, Henry falls asleep on his stomach within ten minutes of Alex rubbing aloe on his shoulders and upper back. His cheek is smushed into the pillow adorably, and Alex sits on the bed beside him and watches him for a long moment, taking one of the rare opportunities to just exist in a little bubble with the love of his life. He shifts closer until their legs brush underneath the sheet, Henry’s skin still warm from the sun.
Henry mumbles in his sleep and then shifts, moving even closer to Alex, almost like he’s being drawn in automatically, magnetically, as if there’s something always pulling him toward Alex, even in unconsciousness.
Grinning, Alex runs a hand through Henry’s hair, feeling that same tug in his own chest drawing him nearer. He pulls out his phone with his other hand, opening up his notes app and checking “Water Park” off. Considering the remaining items of the list, he glances down at Henry and thinks, he deserves everything.
And Alex is determined to give it to him, one date at a time.