Work Text:
It starts off like any normal Thursday. Sophie just finished coloring a beautiful picture of a cross between a unicorn and a dolphin when her teacher, Mrs. Russ, tells them it’s time to clean up for the day. She puts away her assortment of crayons, grabs her pink coat and purple backpack, and gives a big hug to her friend Jeff before following the line of 1st graders out the door.
It is a gorgeous sunny day, the light adding more bounce to Sophie’s thick brown curls, while her bright blue eyes shine with excitement. She can’t wait to jump into her Daddy’s arms and tell him about the dance her and Abby made up at recess.
It takes her a few moments to spot him in the pick up area, but once she sees him, she takes off across the grass as fast as her rainbow converse can carry her. She’s about to call out to him, but stops as she notices he is surrounded by four moms. She knows Jessica’s mom from the few playdates they’ve had together, and Chloe’s mom helps out in their classroom a lot. She doesn’t know the other two, but they look nice. One of the moms she doesn’t recognize is even rubbing her Daddy’s shoulder which totally makes sense, Daddy always wears the softest sweaters. Jessica’s mom also has her hand on his sweater with her head tipped back in laughter. Sophie completely understands this too, her Daddy is one of the funniest people in the world. Chloe’s mom and the other lady are standing very close to her Daddy as well. She notices him take a step backwards, but they all follow him into his space. Maybe they are playing tag?
Sophie decides she’s waited long enough and pushes her tiny body through the grown up legs. She says “excuse me” of course as she has nothing but good manners like her Daddy tells her. When she makes it, she squints through the sunlight to meet eyes that are a sky blue just like hers.
“Daddy!”
Henry smiles gleefully down at the toothy (with a few teeth missing) grin that appears before him. He bends down to pick up Sophie, gives her a sloppy, wet kiss on her cheek, and spins her around in his arms. Her laughter and screams of happiness fill the air as Henry slows and pulls her close.
“How was your day, sunshine?”
“Oh Daddy it was soooo much fun! We did a really fun math game to practice our adding and my team won! Abby and I made up a super fun dance at recess to that new song we sang to on the radio the other day, do you remember? And I drew a picture of a dolphicorn! That’s half dolphin and half unicorn. I named her Isabella and she can sing and do backflips and teaches people how to do magic!”
Henry lets out a chuckle with a small shake of his head as she barely takes a breath in the middle of the synopsis of her day. Good lord she is certainly Alex’s daughter.
“That sounds like quite a day, love!”
“Oh she is the most adorable little thing!”
Henry and Sophie’s moment is broken by one of the moms Sophie doesn’t recognize.
“I love my Justin, don’t you doubt it, but I always wanted a little girl to dress up and paint her nails,” she says.
“Daddy paints my nails all the time. Sometimes he doesn’t get it all in the right place but I love it anyway!” Sophie proudly shows off her sparkly blue nail polish that goes over the ridge of her nail and onto the side of her finger.
“Thanks for that darling, but we know I at least don’t get it in your hair like someone else we know,” Henry says with a wink.
Sophie giggles loudly. “Oh that’s very true Daddy!”
Jessica’s mom decides to butt in. “As I was saying before, I would love to have you over for a play date…I mean Jessica and I would love to have you and Sophie over again. I was so upset you weren’t able to stay and chat last time. I would’ve loved to make you a cup of tea and sit down on—I mean with you while the girls played upstairs." She smirks at Henry, not even seeming bothered by her slip of words. Henry sputters, a bit speechless.
Chloe’s mom jumps in, “And we’d love to have you volunteer more with the class. It’s so rare to get a dad in there and I’m sure the boys would love it. We even get to go on the school field trips and if we ever score an overnight, I’ve heard we can get some amazing room accommodations.”
Henry lets out a nervous laugh and takes another step back as Chloe’s mom once again invades his space. At least she’s not touching him like Georgina, who he can’t seem to shake.
“I’m truly sorry ladies, I’m just not sure I have the time right now with my book almost being ready for publishing.”
All of the mom’s eyes sparkle with excitement, before fading slightly with Henry’s next words.
“We just have a lot going on and Alex is incredibly swamped with cases right now. I’m sure we can find a time soon though.”
Sophie grins with a nod. While she would like to have a play date with Jessica or have Daddy come on one of her field trips, she loves her time at home more. Just her, Daddy, Papa, and David snuggling on the couch or playing hide and seek. Her and David always find the best spots. Papa and Daddy are not the best finders. Sometimes it takes them an extra long time to find her, but when they do, they tickle her silly until Papa throws her over his shoulder to make their way into the kitchen to start dinner together. Daddy isn’t allowed to help, but he gladly sits on the counter watching her and Papa make something yummy.
“Ahhh…Alex,” Justin’s moms sighs.
“Trust me ladies, I have heard so much about the infamous Alex it is almost as of no one could ever live up to the reputation Henry tells me. I still have not had the pleasure to meet the wonderful Alex,” Jessica’s mom says toward the other ladies.
A blush creeps up Henry’s cheeks as he smiles. “Yes, well, as I said Alex is so busy at the law firm right now, about to make partner to be honest. Hopefully you will be able to meet in the near future.”
Jessica’s mom purses her lips. “It must be hard for Alex to see Sophie, being so busy with work and all. It would be nice to have someone who is always around wouldn’t it?”
Something in Henry’s eyes darkens as he stands a little straighter, chin jutting out, Sophie pulled tighter in his arms.
“Absolutely not to be honest. Alex is the most loving, attentive, supportive person I’ve ever met, always making time for me and Sophie. Even working to the bone in the early hours of the morning to make sure we have as much time together as possible. I couldn’t ask for a more wonderful partner.”
Henry finishes with a clipped tone, but switches to a calm, soothing voice when he addresses Sophie. “Let’s head home, sunshine. We can take David for a walk in the park. Have a good afternoon, ladies.”
“Ooh can I hold the leash this time? I promise I won’t let go!” Sophie asks excitedly as they start walking to the car.
“Of course, darling.”
*****
“So is this Buttercup or Jelly Bean I have right now?”
A sigh and an eye roll way too big for a 6-year-old body transpires before him. “Noooo Daddy I told you already. You have Miss Oreo Filling and I have Buttercup and Jelly Bean.”
Henry laughs, a smile permanently attached to his face. “Ah that’s right, sorry darling.”
David huffs while lying in his bed next to them, almost as if not believing Henry couldn’t get it right either.
“I’m getting hungry. Is Papa gonna be home soon?”
As if brought in by the magic of their daughter’s voice, they hear a click and the front door opening.
“Honeys, I’m home!!”
Sophie giggles as Henry rolls his eyes fondly. She jumps up and runs around the corner, seeing her Papa putting down his briefcase and closing the door.
“Papa Papa Papa!!!” She jumps into his arms as he picks her up and throws her in the air.
“Soph Soph Soph!!!”
Peppering her face with loud kisses, Sophie laughs happily. Henry’s smile is almost too big for his face as he looks upon his husband and daughter reuniting for the day. The house certainly gets about ten times louder with them both around, ‘the menace duo’ as he likes to call them, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.
He waits patiently for Alex to take his stunning deep brown eyes away from their daughter to land on him. Alex sighs happily as he closes the short distance between them.
“Hi, baby. I missed you.” Alex wraps a free hand into Henry’s hair as his other arm stays firmly holding Sophie. Even after all these years, his heart never fails to speed up at the sight and touch of Alex.
“Hello, love. I missed you, too.”
Pulling out his dazzling smile, Alex moves to press his lips against Henry’s as Henry’s arms wrap around his two favorite people in the world.
They get about five seconds of utter bliss before Sophie lets out a loud, “Eeww! No kissing in group hugs!” Alex and Henry split apart before smirking knowingly at each other. They turn their heads in unison.
“You know what? I think someone is jealous,” Alex lets out.
“I think so too,” Henry replies quickly.
Sophie’s eyes grow wide as Henry and Alex move their faces in toward her, and before she can let out a peep, two pairs of lips plant themselves on both of her cheeks, squishing her face together.
“Noooooo!” she squeals through laughter. Henry and Alex hold the kiss for a few more seconds before launching a tickle attack on Sophie. Loud giggles echo through the entry way as she squirms, trying to dodge their prying fingers. She finally manages to escape out of their hold and down to the floor.
After catching her breath, she looks up at Alex suddenly with a serious face. “I am soooo hungry Papa, I could eat a mountain!”
Henry and Alex let out loud bursts of laughter at their daughter’s dramatics. Alex bends down to Sophie’s eye level, matching her seriousness in his response.
“Well we better do something about that before we can’t fit you in the house anymore. What will it be tonight?”
“Tacos for sure,” Sophie says without a second thought. They certainly admire her for always knowing what she wants, something the both of them had to work for.
“Lead the way then, princess.”
Sophie stands up tall like she’s about to complete the most important task in the world, juts out her chin, and takes Alex by the hand who grabs Henry’s in the other. They make their way into the kitchen and start taking out the ingredients they need.
“How was your day at school, Soph?”
Henry listens as Sophie once again recounts the math game, the recess dance, the dolphicorn, and getting to demonstrate a cartwheel in PE that she forgot to tell Henry about. He sits perched up on the counter, having poured himself a glass of wine, watching his loves make dinner. He knows better than to even try to offer help.
“Woah that is the coolest day ever! Do you think your dolphicorn would be friends with my Eagle Cheetah? Johnny was the fastest, highest flying being that ever lived.”
“Of course!” Sophie responds. “They would be the bestest friends ever!”
Henry gets caught on probably the most insignificant detail of this conversation, not even bothering to correct his daughter’s grammar.
“Johnny? And you gave me such lip about naming my dog David!”
“Duh,” Alex says matter-of-factly. “Johnny fully fits the strength and power of my beautiful creation. David makes him sound like a tax attorney.”
Just then David barks from where he is sitting by Alex’s feet next to the counter.
“Oh don’t turn on me now, buddy,” Henry says sadly as he looks down at their beagle.
“Too late. He likes my cooking better.” Alex throws him a tortilla just to prove his point.
Henry pouts as Sophie giggles, continuing to focus on her very important job of shredding the cheese. Alex puts down the spoon where he is mixing the onions into the beef over the stove, and walks over between Henry’s legs.
“Aww baby don’t give me that look. You know Soph is his favorite anyway,” Alex says with a smirk.
“We all know that Daddy, come on!”
Henry and Alex burst out laughing. Alex steps closer into his space while Henry puts down his glass and his hands find Alex’s hips. Alex moves one hand up to play with his blonde locks while the other wraps around his back, moving up and down over the fabric of his sweater.
As Alex lays his cheek on Henry’s shoulder he hums, “Mmm you know I love this sweater. It looks so good on you and it’s so darn soft.”
“Oh my goodness Papa you don’t even know! The moms waiting with Daddy at pick up loved his sweater too! They couldn’t stop touching it.”
Henry freezes underneath him as Alex slowly lifts his head to look at his little girl, still dutifully grating probably way too much cheese. He turns his face toward Henry, only to be met with his ducked head and rosy cheeks.
“I see…tell me baby about how all these ladies seemed to love how soft your sweater is.”
Alex’s eyes burn into his when Henry finally looks up at him. He isn’t angry. He seems amused if his smirk is anything to go by, but there’s something else under the surface. As Alex looks intensely at him, he feels large hands moving over his shoulders down his arms, tangling their fingers briefly, only to move back up to his collarbone, down his chest, finally resting on his stomach. Henry feels his face heat from his husband’s ministrations. He knows what this is now, and nothing good ever comes from it including the inappropriate tightening in his trousers. Alex wants to stake his claim.
Sophie is oblivious to this as she tilts her head back and drops a few strings of cheese into her mouth. As she’s chewing she helpfully adds, “they just couldn’t keep their hands off it Papa. It must be a magic sweater too because all of the moms kept saying they wanted to have Daddy come over for tea or help on school field trips.”
Alex’s mouth continues to grow into a gaped smile the more Sophie talks as he keeps his gaze on Henry. Henry looks back and forth between his daughter and Alex, opening and closing his mouth like a fish, coming up at a loss of what to say.
An evil look takes over Alex’s face, and Henry knows nothing good ever comes of that either.
Alex slowly peels himself away from Henry and saunters over to Sophie who is now breaking up some cilantro and putting it in a small bowl. Alex sidles right up next to her and leans his elbows on the counter. Even putting his face in his hands like a child, the little shit. Henry can see all this unfolding and is powerless to stop it.
“Now Soph. I need to know more about what these lovely moms said to Daddy. It sounds like they were so nice to him. Tell me everything.”
Sophie huffs as if Alex is interrupting the making of her master dish at Le Cordon Bleu. She slaps her hands together a few times to get rid of the excess cilantro and turns toward her Papa while staying atop her step stool.
“Well I was running up to Daddy when I noticed all these moms were around him…”
As Sophie recounts their eventful afternoon at pick up, Henry blushes beyond repair as Alex’s eyes keep flicking back over to him.
They both know there’s no chance of Henry ever glancing at a woman, and even if there were, his utter obsession with Alex would nip that right in the bud. Still, Alex has no trouble after bedtime showing Henry exactly who he belongs to.
*****
Henry cringes as he locks his car and sees the dreaded group of moms waiting for him on the grass. He tries to delay his walk over as much as possible, but he always wants to make sure he is there in time for Sophie so she doesn’t worry. He has tried standing in other areas, but they always find him. Up until yesterday, he had done a good job of escaping before Sophie comes out, but something must’ve been in the air. Who did these women think they were propositioning him when they knew he was in a committed relationship? In front of his daughter no less! Plus, he knows for sure at least one of them is still married.
Alex only added fuel to the fire last night as he teased and laughed along with Sophie’s story, but fuck, possessive Alex in the bedroom was something else entirely. Drawn out of his memories of tan skin and soft curls under his fingertips, the quartet of ladies flutter over to him like a moth to a flame.
“Good afternoon, ladies.” Even though he’s uncomfortable, Henry is nothing but a proper gentleman.
“Wow Henry, you must work out hard. Your arms and chest are so sculpted and strong! I bet you could throw me over your shoulder without breaking a sweat.” Jessica’s mom comes in swinging for the fences as she reaches out for his exposed bicep. Thankfully, he is able to step away from her reach just in time.
“Uh I don’t really to be honest. As I said, not a lot of time on my hands.”
Georgina jumps in, “oh that’s too bad. I would love to see you lift some heavy weights at the gym. I’ve been really needing to work on my form and I could use someone with expertise and healthy stamina.”
For fucks sake these women are in heat. Henry thought by avoiding his usual cozy sweater he would’ve dissuaded prying hands and inappropriate conversation, but no such luck. Apparently his blue polo was a little too tight around his biceps and across his chest without even realizing it. Damn Alex for suggesting he wear it today.
Henry closes his eyes when he sees Chloe’s mom attempting to offer what he’s sure she thinks is a flirtatious smirk, but thankfully, no salacious comment reaches his ear drums.
Instead, Jessica’s mom speaks up with a disbelieving gasp.
“Oh…my…fucking…God.”
Henry opens his eyes and is about to express that she shouldn’t say such language when kids will be around soon, but finds her gaze is not on him. In fact, no one’s is.
As he scans the ladies in front of him, he notices all kinds of emotions glittering across their faces from shock to awe to straight up turned on. All of them are looking past his right shoulder to something behind him, and Henry is more than happy to find out what brought their attention away from him.
He turns around and quickly finds the object of their focus because holy shit.
Henry feels his breath catch as the color orange catches his eyes first. Now that is orange, definitely not copper, and it’s a goddamn turtle neck. His eyes zoom outward to a long, fashionable coat, a black leather vest, and pants that do nothing to hide the assailants thick thighs. His gaze travels back up to the top of the turtle neck once again, continuing up gorgeous tan skin, a beautifully pronounced adams apple, a sexy smattering of facial hair, plush pink lips, until his eyes land on the deep, molten brown irises he would know anywhere.
Fuuuuucccckkkkkk.
He can do nothing but gape at his dangerously hot husband as he shows off his chiseled jaw, looking to the side to make sure no cars are coming before he crosses the street. A good thing too, because that is certainly a site that could cause a 40 car pile-up.
As the fog starts to clear from his brain, he notices the women’s hushed voices frantically speaking behind him.
“Holy shit do you know who that is?”
“Is that the new kid Jacob’s dad? My God he’s so fucking hot!”
“For sure not Jacob’s dad, I met that balding beer belly last week.”
“Ladies I’m going to climb him like a tree so fast I will probably be arrested for public indecency.”
“Get in line babes. Be still my beating vagina.”
Henry really shouldn’t be surprised but what the fuck is wrong with them? I mean…he doesn’t blame them to be honest but still, decorum on the outside, indecency on the inside.
Alex saunters up in all of his bisexual half-Mexican glory, his hair is just in another world today good lord. His eyes meet Henry’s and he feels his knees buckle a bit. He thinks he’s gaping at his own husband for Christ sake, but how could he not. Before Alex can get too close, the women are rushing over to him as quickly as they can.
They all start talking at once, words overlapping so frantically that Henry can’t make out any of it. When hands move toward broad shoulders and strong forearms, something tightens in Henry’s belly. He only now notices that Alex isn’t looking at any of the moms at all, but keeps his dark gaze fixed on Henry. Alex raises one eyebrow and smirks, as if daring Henry to make his move.
Not needing any more encouragement than that, Henry struts over and nudges the women aside, manners be damned, grabs Alex firmly by the back of the neck and by the lapel of his coat, and smashes their lips together in a searing kiss. Henry probes Alex’s lips immediately with his tongue and is quickly granted access. The only word to describe what their mouths are doing right now would be downright filthy, way too much for an elementary school pick up lot, that’s for certain.
But Henry doesn’t give a fuck. His hotter than fuck husband looks like a fucking model who just stepped out of a fucking magazine and he fucking needs to get him fucking him as soon as fucking possible.
Henry also realizes at that moment that he may be slightly malfunctioning.
Alex pulls back from the kiss way too soon for Henry’s liking, he lets out an embarrassing whine to prove it, but he guesses by his panting breaths that air might be important too.
“Hey, baby.”
The deepness of Alex’s voice does nothing to sooth the blood boiling beneath Henry’s skin. His hands run frantically over Alex’s arms and shoulders, into his hair, grabbing his coat, cupping his hips, not seeming to know how to find their own peace.
“What…how did you- you look…Alex.”
Alex looks back at him with a smirk so dirty, the cleaning bill for it would be through the roof. Just as Henry is about to lean in for another attack on those brilliant lips, his ears are assaulted by a shrill voice.
“Alex?!?”
It takes Henry a moment to remember they are not the only ones existing on this small little planet. While maintaining close contact with his husband, he turns his head to find the quartet of ladies utterly gobsmacked in front of him.
Henry clears his throat, blush moving up his cheeks. He attempts to pull back slightly from Alex, but is held firmly in place by a large hand on his hip.
“Ahem…ladies this is Alex, my husband. It looks like you got your wish after all to meet him sooner than you expected.”
Silence follows for a few more moments before Chloe’s mom starts, “But…I mean…uhh I guess I thought when you said Alex-“
“Ah the gender neutral name. I guess that could be a common misconception. Although with me being the bi one, I wouldn’t have thought as Henry’s partner I would be conceived as a woman, but who the fuck wouldn’t want this man, right? I mean look at him…well I certainly know you ladies have.”
He pauses for a moment and at least some of them have the decency to look ashamed.
“Let me tell you I will shout from the rooftops that I’m bi ‘til the pink and purple and blue cows come home, but I can guarantee my dick will only be going into this man for the rest of my life and I couldn’t be more fucking ecstatic by that fact. Hey Sophie girl!!!”
Henry stares with cheeks probably as red as a tomato by now as Alex runs a few feet away and picks up their daughter who he had no idea got out of class already. He glances over to see the four ladies with their jaws almost unhinged open. Henry clears his throat and stands up tall.
“Ladies.”
He heads over to where Alex is busy throwing Sophie up in the air. He comes up as he hears Sophie yelling a million miles a minute.
“Papa you are here! Why did you come to pick me up from school? I’m so happy you are here! Do you see over there is my school building where I have my class with Mrs. Russ and over there you can see the slide where we have recess and…”
She continues on as Alex oohs and aahs in the most attentive way, leaving behind his sex demon side for the one that fits him the best of all, loving father.
When Sophie catches sight of Henry, she leaps out of Alex’s arms and into his. He gladly catches her even if she knocks a bit of air out of his lungs.
“Daddy! I can’t believe you and Papa are here to pick me up! This is the bestest day ever!”
Henry chuckles as he looks between his daughter and Alex.
“It certainly is.”
Sophie wiggles slightly so she can get down, then looks up at her dads to say, “I dropped my backpack over there because I wanted to run as fast as I could when I saw you were here Papa! I’m gonna go get it, I’ll be right back!”
As their gorgeous daughter saunters away toward her bright purple backpack, Henry pulls an unsuspecting Alex into his chest by his hips.
Henry leans down and whispers in his ear, “You are a bloody menace, love.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about, baby. I was simply joining you to pick up our daughter.”
Henry’s gaze travels slowly down his body and back up to his eyes, burning Alex’s skin in its wake.
“Call your sister and tell her we are dropping Sophie off. Girl’s night tonight. I’m gonna need you more than once.”
Alex smirks as he grabs Henry’s hand and pulls his body away.
“Sure thing, baby.”
Sophie comes running back over and splits their hands to be in the middle of her dads. Henry and Alex smile down at her before looking up at each other, Alex giving him a sly wink.
The three of them walk across the grass toward the parking lot, Henry loving the beautiful picture his family makes.
While it may not have started this way, the elementary school pick up area is quickly become one of his favorite places.