Work Text:
Stand there like a ghost
Shaking from the rain, rain
She'll open up the door
And say, are you insane, -ane?
Alex was peacefully asleep. The sound of rain was soothing. It usually didn’t happen for Alex. Not since the last six months anyways. Yet some shithead decided to blast the fucking doorbell. Alex has no idea what time it is. If it was Nora or his sister, they’d be inside by now.
He opens the door, ready to glare at the person standing outside. But all Alex feels is shock. Absolute shock.
Standing there, in the rain, is none other than Henry Fox. Henry fucking Fox. Prince of Wales.
Henry looks like a drenched rat. His blonde locks stick to his forehead, his suit fully wet. He’s shivering, but Alex chooses to ignore that right now.
Alex’s mouth is open in shock. The man who doesn’t stop speaking even in his sleep, feels like he can’t string together words for this. He hasn’t seen the man in six months. Six miserable months.
For a second, Alex wonders if he’s dreaming. He’s dreamt this before. Henry showing up to his door. He has fantasized about this for God knows how long. Still, words fail him.
“Hi.” Croaks Henry, as he stands there, looking at Alex. Alex pinches himself a little, to remind him this is real.
He wants to greet him back. Wants to say hello. But all that leaves his mouth is, “What the fuck are you doing here?” Because really, what was he doing here? Was Alex not heartbroken enough?
“I’m sorry.” Henry whispers, and Alex almost didn’t hear it. He doesn’t know if he wants to hear it. Doesn’t know if he’s ready to hear it. He’s dreamed of hearing these words for so long. But now that he’s heard them, he has absolutely no idea what to do.
So, in true Alex fashion, he slams the door in Henry’s face. He surprises himself by doing that. But he really couldn’t see his face right now. But that’s all he wants to do. This is really all very conflicting for him.
“Alex. Can we please talk?” He hears from the other side, and damn has he been dying to hear that British voice. But that is the same voice that left without saying a word at the lake house. The same voice that ignored his calls and texts. Denied him entry to the palace. Couldn’t even talk to him like a decent human being.
“What gives you the right to come here at midnight to ‘talk to me’?” He yells, hoping to get some of his frustration out. He runs a hand through his curls, hoping that something will ground him.
“Alex. Please.” He hears from the other side, and he swears he heard a whimper. The whimper is followed by loud sob, and a thud, as if someone collided with the door.
He should send him away. Do what Henry did to him. Ask him to leave and shatter his heart like he shattered Alex’s. Payback’s a bitch, right?
Then why does he find himself opening the door, to look at the crying Prince of Wales?
Say it's been a long six months (Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh, oh oh)
And you were too afraid to tell her what you want, want (Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh, oh oh)
And that's how it works
It's how you get the girl
Henry didn’t think Alex would open the door. He was about to slide down to the floor, but then he did. Alex, his Alex, opened the door.
Henry almost fell but he gathered himself quickly, looking at the man he loves, the man he’ll always love. The man of his dreams, Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz.
Henry just stands there, looking at Alex. His hair is tousled, he’s wearing a warm cardigan and some sweatpants. He looks like a fucking dream is what Henry thinks.
“Hi.” He says again, hoping Alex would say something. Maybe say it back. Not that he deserves it though.
“What are you doing here, your Royal Highness?” Alex questions through gritted teeth, and Henry’s heart breaks a little. Not that he expects any kindness from Alex. Not that he deserves any. Still, being called by his actual name sends a shiver down his spine.
“Can we talk? Please?” He pleads, hoping Alex will see and accept his desperation.
Henry thought a lot for these last six months. That’s all he had been doing. Holed up in his room, staring at pictures of Alex, eating cornetto’s, thinking. Henry never thought he’d be brave enough. Brave enough to be loved by someone as fiery as Alex. He never thought he’d get to do it. Never thought he deserved it.
He proved himself right by sending Alex back right away. Not even providing an explanation. Just vanishing. He gave up. Gave up on the man who flew across a fucking ocean to tell him that he loved him. Henry knew that’s what Alex was going to tell him. Yet he wasn’t brave enough to hear the words he’d been craving to hear.
“Oh, now you wanna talk? What about the time when I was about to storm a fucking castle for you huh? Now he wants to talk.” Alex scoffs, but his voice breaks a little at the end.
“That was idiotic. There is not a word in the English language that can summarize the mistake I’ve made Alex. I’m really sorry. All I want to do is offer an explanation, and hope that maybe, just maybe you’ll understand. I don’t expect you to. It’s been a long six months. You can kick me out anytime you want. Just please, hear me out, this once. I sent you away, and you have every right to send me back too. All I can do is ask you to hear me out. Please, Alex. Hear me out.” Henry sighs, voice breaking off at the end, tears spilling from his eyes.
He looks up at Alex, and see tears rolling down his rosy, tan cheeks. He has the urge to walk to him and wipe them away, whispering sweet nothings as he does. But he doesn’t get to do that. All because he wasn’t brave. Wasn’t smart enough to recognize what he deserves.
He expects Alex to slam the door in his face. To tell him to fuck himself and never show his face here again.
“Okay.” Alex whispers and Henry feels like he can breathe again.
And then you say
I want you for worse or for better
I would wait for ever and ever
Broke your heart, I'll put it back together
I would wait for ever and ever
And that's how it works
It's how you get the girl, girl, oh
And that's how it works
It's how you get the girl, girl
Alex can’t believe it. He opened the door knowing what lies ahead. Agreed to talk to Henry after six fucking months. A part of his brain is screaming to send Henry away. To keep up the walls that now surround his heart. Alex has always loved with everything he has. Never had any sort of walls around his heart. But what happened six months ago has left him scared of getting hurt.
No matter what his brain screams though, he says yes to Henry. It shouldn’t be this easy, should it? For Henry? Yet Alex can’t help it. The man he loves, standing at the door, shivering and drenched. That reminds him….
“Come inside. You’re shivering.” Alex mumbles as Henry steps inside the apartment, and Alex closes the door behind him.
“Can we talk?” Henry has such a heartbroken look on his face, that Alex wants nothing more, than to disappear. Then a part of his brain screams, ‘it’s good that he’s hurt. It’s good he feels this way.’ Alex doesn’t know what to think of at this point.
“Um yeah.” Alex gets out, trying for his voice not to break.
“You’re really wet. I’ll get you a change of clothes. Then we can, um, talk.” Alex answers as Henry just nods with a small smile, his expression looking a little hopeful.
Alex takes this time to gather himself. To prepare himself for whatever Henry has to say. To make sure nobody stomps over his heart again. If he needs to be brave, he’ll be brave. Lord knows he’s been plenty brave before.
He reaches to the closet, grabs some random hoodie and the largest sweatpants he owns, and rushes back to Henry. He silently hands him the clothes, and points towards the restroom.
“Thank you.” Henry whispers with a hint of a smile, as he leaves to change.
Alex needs to sit down before his legs give out. He takes a seat on the couch, his head in his hands, eyes closed tight. What does Henry want? He’s probably here to say sorry, right? So, will he apologize and then, just, leave? Was he just feeling guilty and so he came here to say sorry and will leave later? All these thoughts consume Alex entirely.
“Um Alex?” Henry announces as Alex’s head shoots up, and boy he wished he didn’t pull his head up. Henry fucking Fox is dressed in a hoodie that once belonged to Henry Fox. He had left it by accident and now it was in Alex’s possession. Alex wanted to sink into the ground with the mortification he felt. This guy shows up after six months, just for Alex to hand him the one fucking hoodie he shouldn’t have handed? ‘Let the ground swallow me’ Alex prays silently.
Either Henry doesn’t notice or has some remaining decency to pretend not to notice it. Either way he just stands there, like one of those museum statues.
“Um you can sit down.” Alex mumbles as he shifts to the far end of the couch, to maintain some distance so he can think straight. Not that he was ever straight he laughs internally. Not the time for making sexuality jokes though. Henry nods gently and takes a seat, sitting on the other end of the couch.
The couch wasn’t too big so there really wasn’t a lot of space between them. But it still felt like they were oceans apart. Time heals a lot of wounds, surely. But what if the one who stabbed you, is now here, to talk to you? To maybe further tear those deep wounds. To scar you some more, maybe?
“I’m sorry.” Alex hears Henry say, and when he looks up, he sees tears in those deep blue eyes.
Remind her how it used to be, be
Yeah, with pictures in frames of kisses on cheeks, cheeks
Tell her how you must've lost your mind (Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh, oh oh)
When you left her all alone and never told her why, why (Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh, oh oh)
And now you say
I want you for worse or for better
I would wait for ever and ever (Ever and ever)
Broke your heart, I'll put it back together
I would wait for ever and ever
And that's how it works
It's how you get the girl, girl, oh
And that's how it works
It's how you get the girl, girl, yeah
Henry noticed the hoodie. It gave him a little hope that maybe Alex hasn't entirely forgotten about him. Maybe he still has a chance. Alex is playing with his fingers, Henry notices. Henry himself feels nervous as he twiddles his signet ring. He wanted to give this to Alex. Dreamt of giving this to Alex. God, all he has been doing is dreaming of different scenarios where he gets to have Alex. Or relishing in the previous memories he had with the love of his life.
“I’m sorry.” He says, somehow his mind going completely blank, these two words on a loop.
There’s a silence after the words, only broken by Alex’s laughter. Alex is chuckling bitterly, and each sound sounds so sad, it pulls at Henry’s heart.
“You’re sorry? Well that fucking fixes everything doesn’t it? His Royal Highness is sorry. And his Royal Highness gets everything he wants. So now that he’s sorry, that fixes it.” Alex chuckles humorlessly, eyes burning into Henry’s.
Henry knows he deserves it. He’ll take every insult this man throws his way, if there is even the slightest possibility that he would forgive Henry.
“You’re right. Sorry doesn’t cut it. I’m not sure what does actually, but I’ll try my best.” Henry answers, as Alex folds his arms, his defenses up. Henry had prepared this apology, on the plane, repeating it to himself a million times. But all of that went out the window the minute he looked at Alex. He knew this had to be from the heart, and he knew it had to be good.
“I- I was a fool. Any word that describes being dumb, that was me. See I had this idea in my head that I wasn’t allowed to love who I wanted to love, let alone love someone as bright as you. I tried to protect my heart by building this little armor around it you know? Especially after my father passed away. But you tore those walls down. Tore them apart. But before my heart could lay bare open in front of you, I pulled back before you could pull down that last wall. I was the Prince of Wales, you were the first son. I- I gave up before I could hear that you loved me, because I wanted to protect the last wall I had put up, because I knew I couldn’t have you. So I decided to give us up before it was taken away from us.” Henry finished, tears flowing down his pale cheeks.
He lifted his head up, to take a look at Alex, and the love of his life had a similar expression. Tears ran down those rosy cheeks, and Henry wants someone to come and slap him for doing this to him. All he wants to do is wipe those tears away, but he knows he can’t. He has no right.
“Yeah. You did give up on us. Even when I was willing to fight for us. You chose to maintain those walls of yours. And Henry, I would’ve understood. I still understand. What I don’t understand is how you wouldn’t even talk to me about it. I flew across an ocean. I stormed a fucking castle for you.” Alex chuckles, a little bitterly as he continues.
“And I didn’t even get to tell you how I feel. Even though you knew what I was about to say. That’s why you ran didn’t you?” Alex asks, looking at Henry, his jaw slack. All Henry could do was give a slight nod.
“I couldn’t even tell you how I felt. And now you’re here. Six fucking months later. What gives you the right Henry? What gives you the right to waltz in here, half a year later, to stomp over my already broken heart?” Alex shouts, as he stands up, moving away from Henry, as if sitting on the same couch as the prince burns him. Henry wants to go after him, hug him, tell him how much he loves him, but he can’t.
“I have no right Alex. I have no right. And I’m not here to stomp on your heart. I’m here, I’m here to fix this.” Henry whispers, looking down towards his hands. He hears Alex stop pacing. He looks up, and sees Alex standing there, completely frozen.
“What?” Alex asks, looking directly at him. Henry swallows on nothing, and stands up, facing Alex.
“I’m here to fix this.” Henry says, with a little vigor. Alex’s mouth hangs open a little. As if he wasn’t expecting that this would be the outcome. ‘Did Alex really think Henry is here to stomp on his heart again?’ he wonders.
He takes a step towards Alex, still maintaining a respectable distance.
“I left you all alone. I never told you why. That is the dumbest thing I have done to this day. You’ve always been brave for us Alex. You have always been willing to fight for us. Now, now I want to be brave for me, for us. That’s why I’m here. To tell you what a mistake I made. How I lost the love of my life.”
Alex lets out a shocked gasp, and Henry feels like his breath is stuck in his throat. This is his big confession. That he still loves Alex. Always has. Always will.
And you could know, oh
That I don't want you to go
Remind me how it used to be
Pictures in frames of kisses on cheeks
And say you want me, yeah, yeah
And then you say I want you for worse or for better (Worse or for better)
I would wait for ever and ever (Ever and ever)
Broke your heart, I'll put it back together
I would wait for ever and ever (I want you for ever and ever)
This has to be some sort of joke. Alex had spent the past six months convincing himself that maybe Henry didn’t love him as much or maybe at all. No, no this can’t be it. The man he has yearned for, for so long, is here telling him something he has wanted to hear for so long. There is no way he means it. Alex can’t fathom this possibility.
“What?” Alex lets out a shaky breath, not trusting himself to say anything more. He’ll break down if he does.
“Yes, Alex. I love you.” Henry smiles, that shaky broken kind of smile, through his tears. Alex blinks away his own tears, as he just stares at Henry, trying to process the information.
“You really mean it?” Alex asks before he can stop himself. He’s scared to look at Henry, so he stares at the ground. He sees Henry’s formal shoes approaching his field of view.
“Alex.” Henry whispers, a beckoning for Alex to look at him. Alex slowly raises his head, a scared look on his face. A look that says that this seems like a fever dream and too good to be true.
“May I?” Henry asks as he extends out his hand, asking Alex if he can take it. The curly headed boy hesitates a little, but settles it by placing his hand into the blonde’s. He feels a spark, some sort of electricity. Then he finds a sense of comfort, like this hand was meant for him to hold. A sense of familiarity. Henry squeezes his hand, grounding Alex. That this is real.
“I mean it with all my soul and heart. I love you, Alex. I know this is no time to barge in just to confess it. But I’ve been scared for way too long. Scared of the crown, scared to defy them. Scared to disappoint people. Scared that people will not accept me for who I am. But while being scared of all this, while carrying this fear in my heart, I missed something. I missed the fact that I disappointed the last person I wanted to disappoint. I disappointed you. And that hurt me more than any of those things could ever. The person I love the most is the person I ended up hurting.” Henry monologues, eyes fixated on the chocolate brown ones. Alex’s breath catches in his throat, as Henry leans down to place a delicate kiss on Alex’s knuckles.
“Alexander Claremont Diaz, you are the one for me. I truly mean it. You are it for me. No matter what you say after this, I will always love you. My love for you is deeper than any ocean, any trench. If you send me back, I will accept it. But just know that I will never love anyone like I love you. I want to be brave for me, brave for you, brave for us. If you’ll give me the chance.” Henry smiles shakily at him. Alex wants to hug this man and never let go. But somehow his body doesn’t seem to respond.
“I love you, Alex. I’ve loved you all along. I’ll never leave your side ever again. I’ll fight anyone who asks me to do otherwise. I love you.” Henry finishes. Alex looks into those deep blue eyes, searching for the truth. Maybe Henry truly means all this.
“I want you to believe me. Please tell me you believe me.” Henry all but begged, and Alex stood there, stupefied. He wants to scream that he believes him. He’ll always believe him. But no words come out.
Henry drops his hands, tears sliding over his pale cheeks, as he takes a step back, and Alex’s heart breaks all over again.
And that's how it works
It's how you get the girl, girl, oh
(That's how it works) And that's how it works
It's how you get the girl, girl, oh (Get the girl)
(It's how it works) And that's how it works
It's how you get the girl, girl, oh
And that's how it works
It's how you get the girl, girl, oh
And that's how it works
That's how you got the girl
“I want you to believe me. Please tell me you believe me.” Henry begs. But he sees Alex just standing there, his mouth a little open.
Henry thinks that he’s lost it. He’s lost Alex. It’s too late. He screwed this up too bad. Alex will not forgive him.
He drops Alex’s hand, and takes a step back. Tears are cascading down his cheeks, mirroring Alex’s state. But Alex doesn’t say a word. Silent tears are flowing down those tan cheeks, and Henry feels like he’s having trouble breathing.
He turns around, half to leave, and half to stop seeing Alex crying. Henry knows he’s caused it. He deserves this hurt. But never in a million years had he thought that this would be so devastating. Maybe they were Thisbe and Pyramus, lovers who could never be together. Or maybe they were all those couples in classic books, who never end up together due to some tragedy.
Henry starts walking towards the door, doing his best to leave, to give Alex the space he needs. He said what he had to say. It depends on Alex now.
“I believe you.” Came a sound from behind, and Henry stopped dead in his tracks. He almost didn’t hear them. The voice was so small, but somehow, he heard it.
He turned around, desperate to know if Alex actually said it or if it was his mind tricking him with it’s fantasies. Alex stepped forward. Only a foot of space between them.
“I believe you.” Alex whispered again, hint of a small smile on his face. And Henry, Henry has never smiled this much on hearing any three words.
“I love you.” Alex says back, and God, Henry feels like he’s about to collapse from the overwhelming happiness he feels.
“Can I- Can I, hug you?” Henry asks, a little scared that Alex might not be ready. But Henry can wait. He can wait for as long as he wants.
“Yeah.” Alex grins as Henry launches himself at Alex, arms coming around his shoulders and waist, nose buried in the mop of curls.
“I missed you. But I might need a little time though. To process this.” Alex mumbles in Henry’s hoodie, and Henry feels like he might die of elation. He pulls back a little, looking down at the chocolate brown eyes that he dearly missed.
“I missed you too, darling. More than words could convey. And just know that I’ll wait for you, forever. I broke your heart, and I’ll put it back together. I’m here for you as long as you’ll have me.” Henry smiles, as a shy spreads over Alex's face.
“You have such a way with your words.” Alex grins, and Henry feels the lips of his lover on his.
The kiss is sweet, gentle. It’s filled with promises, apologies, and everything they need. They pull back, grinning like the love sick fools they are. They somehow know that everything will be just fine.
(An old voice in the background)
And that’s how it works kids. That’s how you get the guy.