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Age 6.
Alex was six when the Foxes moved into the neighborhood. He was playing with his toy trucks one day by the front yard when a moving truck stopped in front of the vacant house beside theirs, followed by a black SUV.
“Who’s that?” he asked his twin sister, June, when she ran out of the house to look at the newcomers.
“I dunno,” June muttered, after which the black SUV’s doors opened and out came a white family—a man who Alex assumed was the father as he greeted the truck driver. A woman who Alex assumed was the mother as she guided three kids out of the car.
“Who’re they, mama?” Alex heard June ask their mom.
“Looks like they’re new neighbors, bubba. Wanna go say hi?” Both he and June nodded. His mom grabbed June’s hand, while his dad grabbed Alex’s. Together, they approached the newcomers.
“Hey! How do you do?” His mom greeted the parents, who immediately shook hands with her and his dad. “You guys our new neighbors?”
“It appears we are,” the man answered with a smile. “I’m Arthur, this is my wife, Catherine. These are our kids—Philip, Henry, and Beatrice.” He pointed to each child happily.
“Pleased to meet you. I hope we can be good friends,” Catherine nicely said.
“I think we can work something out. I’m Ellen, and this is my husband, Oscar. These are our kids, Alexander and June.”
“Need any help with those?” Oscar nodded at the moving truck, where a few men were still bringing out boxes and other stuff.
“Oh, you’re too kind!” Catherine grinned.
“You guys have a funny accent,” Alex giggled. He heard Ellen gasp from beside him, but his eyes were fixated on one of the kids, Henry, hair dirty blonde and a little mole near his lips, who stifled a laugh before looking away. It made him grin.
“Alexander! That’s not very nice of you.” Ellen shook her head before looking up at the other couple. “I’m so sorry, my son really has no filter sometimes.”
Arthur chuckled dismissively and squatted to level with Alex’s face. “Alexander, is it?” Alex nodded eagerly. He then wore a faux-thinking look on his face. “Our accent is kind of funny, innit?” He bopped Alex’s nose, making the kid giggle. “It’s called English accent, actually, from where we came from, which is London.”
“That’s so cool, you live in another country!” Alex said in awe, making Arthur and Catherine chuckle.
Soon enough, Alex had stopped bothering the newcomers, and his family helped them move in.
“Thank you so much. You’ve made all our jobs much easier, moving truck people included,” Arthur stated, making Alex’s parents chuckle.
“No biggie. Just knock on our doors, and we’re there,” Oscar promised.
While the four parents gathered up for some tea, and June was busy staring up at a massive bookshelf, Alex started running around the house. “Don’t go too far and don’t run into things!” he heard Ellen scold him, far enough for it to start sounding a bit muffled.
He was at the garden when he plopped down onto the wet grass (probably just watered), trying to catch his breath. This house is much, much bigger than their own.
He did the same routine for a few minutes until he felt something or someone staring at him. When he looked up, it was Henry.
“Hey! Care to join me?” Alex grinned, stretching out an arm for invitation. Silence ran for like 5 seconds (not that Alex counted) before he heard Henry scoff.
“And risk getting all filthy and my mum finding out and taking away all my books? No, thank you.”
“Wait,” Alex said, leaning up on his elbows. “That massive bookshelf that June is obsessing over. That’s yours?”
Alex could swear Henry blushed, but it was gone as soon as he saw it. “Erm, not all. Some are my parents’, a few are Pip’s—the boring ones, at least—but yeah. Most are mine.”
“Dude, that’s so cool!” Alex laughed while standing up, wobbling a bit on his knees. He wiped his hands at the dry part of his jeans and raised them in a high five. “I’m Alex. I don’t read, that’s June’s thing. But I’m way cooler and we could play fun games together!”
He was sure Henry rolled his eyes before walking over and completing the high five with him. “I’m Henry. I love to read, I think it’s lame that you don’t, but sure, I’m up for your… fun games or whatever.”
As Alex grinned, he could tell this was the start of a beautiful friendship.
*
“Two truths and a lie!”
“Good morning to you too, Alex. I’m doing good. How may I help you on this fine morning?”
“You’re too sassy for a six year old,” Alex rolled his eyes, making Henry chuckle. He sat beside him on their front porch and added, “And you can help me by playing Two Truths and A Lie!”
“Really? This is the fun game you goaded me into yesterday?” Henry looked at him with a raised brow.
“My sister and I play it all the time! And it helps, you know? At least this way, we could also get to know each other better.” Alex nudged Henry’s shoulder playfully, making the other kid do the same to him in return.
They kept going back and forth until Henry caved. “Fine! Fine, fine, fine. Might as well start the bloody thing then myself, right?”
“That’s the spirit!” Alex laughed happily. He picked up and threw a couple of rocks around the front porch while he let Henry think for a few minutes.
“Two truths and a lie.” He stopped on his tracks and turned to Henry with a soft smile. “I miss London. I hate Pip. Jane Austen is my favorite author.”
“Going a little deep on the first try, huh?” Alex grinned when Henry blushed. He jogged back up to his side and sat beside him, bumping Henry a bit.
“Well. Don’t narc me on this but I have a first impression of your brother that is… unpleasant, to say the least.” Henry’s snort showed Alex he might not mind it at all. “So I’m guessing the lie is… the last one!”
Henry stifled a laugh. “What? Did I get that wrong? Don’t tell me you like Jane Austen?”
Henry jutted his chin. “So what if I like Jane Austen?”
Alex’s grin slowly grew wider. “Nothing,” he shrugged. “Thought you were more of a Rick Riordan type.”
“I’m surprised you even know who Rick Riordan is.” Henry grinned, making Alex laugh.
“Fineee. So it’s not the last, and definitely not the second…” Alex deduced, then he slowly looked up at Henry. “You don’t miss London?”
Henry smiled, a bit more strained this time. “I don’t. Our Gran… she isn’t nice. A complete opposite of mum. I may be young, but I’m not oblivious. I know she’s trying to control us, trying to see who could work under her in the future.”
Alex didn't know what to say for a few seconds. “Man, that sucks. I’m sorry.”
He then pulled Henry into a bear hug, and he can tell it caught his new friend by surprise with the way his breath hitched. He pulled away instantly, looked at Henry apologetically for a few seconds, then put on a big smile.
“Two truths and a lie.” He cleared his throat. “I’m a big hugger. I love talking to people. And…” He smiled a little softer. “I think you’re lame.”
Henry rolled his eyes, but a faint smile was noticeable on his face. “The last one. Only because I have experienced the other two first-hand.”
Alex’s grin was a victorious one. “Yeah, man.” He wrapped a shoulder around Henry.
“I think you’re cool.”
Age 14.
Eight years later, Alex and Henry were still tied together by a friendship bond no one could ever seem to break.
Sure, Henry’s British side had come out more so than ever, but Alex didn’t find it in himself to mind. He even thought it made Henry unique that way.
He’d noticed Henry’s mood had been under the weather for the past few days, so he asked his parents if he could sleep over at the Foxes for a little while. Thank God they said yes.
They were hanging out in Henry’s room, Henry reading a book, and Alex doodling at the back of Henry’s binder.
“Hen?” he called out while still doodling. Henry hummed in acknowledgment and question.
“Two truths and a lie. I’m freaking bored. I want to make you eat burritos until our tummies hurt. I don’t like Taylor Swift.”
“That’s easy. Third.”
Alex sputtered. “How did—I never listen to her around you!”
“That’s because I listen to her enough that you don’t notice you sing along to You Belong With Me under your breath, you cretin.”
“It’s a classic high school anthem!” It was a stupid rebuttal, he knew. But Henry’s small smile was a win, anyway.
“Your turn.” He stood up to stretch his legs and plopped himself beside Henry on the bed.
Alex saw hesitation in Henry for a few seconds before it vanished. “I want to take up Journalism in college. I’m straight.” Henry swallowed. “And… I miss Jaffa Cakes.”
Looking back now, Alex should’ve given those options more thought. At the time, it seemed so casual. So normal. But he should’ve known.
“You don’t miss… Java Cakes??” was his answer. The way Henry sharply turned to look at him with a glare was so fucking funny.
“It’s Jaffa Cakes, you imbecile.” Alex snorted when Henry pouted. “And… no. I do.”
So that only left—
Alex kept his gaze at his friend. Henry wore a stoic expression on his face, but Alex can see the real emotion behind it—he was scared. He had stared at his best friend on so many occasions he could tell the difference in his expressions.
They may be young, but they weren’t too young to not be aware of sexual orientations and the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Thank God for the internet.
Without a word, Alex reached out for Henry’s hand. Took it in his own. Locked their fingers together.
Alex smiled softly, and he saw Henry’s eyes well up with tears. “You’re good. You’re amazing,” he whispers.
At Henry’s watery smile, he added, “Thank you for trusting me.”
Henry squeezed his hand in gratitude, and Alex knew everything was going to be okay.
Age 16.
“Hey.”
Henry turned to him with a gentle smile, then extended his hand. Alex leaned forward to reach for it. Henry pulled him carefully beside him. Side by side, they laid on their backs on the roof of Henry’s house.
“Two truths and a lie.” Henry glanced at him, waiting for him to continue. “My back hurts from this position. I missed you. I didn’t give David that much chicken while you were away.”
David was Henry’s new puppy, a beagle, that Arthur and Catherine had gifted him a few months ago for his birthday. Alex may have fallen in love at first sight at the new furry baby, so Henry trusted him to look after David while Henry and his family were at the hospital.
Seemed like this round was an easy one because Henry lifted up his head to glare at Alex. “Tell me you did not.”
Alex grinned sheepishly. He was feeling only slightly guilty. “How the fuck did you think I could resist those damn brown puppy eyes of his!”
Henry shook his head, but a small grin was on his face. “Well, now it’s gonna be a hardship trying to get him to eat his actual dog food now, innit?” They shared grins before laying their heads back again.
Alex was the first to speak after a few minutes of silence. “How was it?” It came out as more of a whisper.
Henry let out a shaky exhale. “It was bad,” he admitted quietly. “We were at the hospital all week. He kept going in and out of operating rooms and I literally heard nothing else but machines beeping and doctors and nurses overlapping one another outside for days.” He sniffled.
Without a word, Alex immediately grabbed Henry’s hand, rubbing his thumb at the back of it soothingly.
“I did nothing but pray. Pray to whatever god is out there to save him. I just… I can’t lose him,” Henry breathed, pain etched in his voice. He wiped his face with his other hand and cleared his throat.
“When his doctor finally came out of the operating room to be the bearer of good news, I thought I was dreaming.” Even under a shitty beam of the lamp post by the street, Alex could see a glimpse of Henry’s smile. “I don’t think I’ve ever cried even more in my sister’s arms than that moment. I was so relieved, I thought I was going to lose him forever.”
“And you didn’t. You won’t,” Alex pressed, pulling Henry in for a hug. A little sideways and off-angled, but no one fucking cared. “Arthur fought hard enough to push through, and he did. He was strong, but you were just as strong as he was, Hen.”
Henry softly sobbed on Alex’s chest for a few seconds before looking up at him. “Thank you. Thank you for being patient with me. I know I haven’t been the best—”
“Shh!” Alex placed a finger on Henry’s lips. “None of that now. You deserved to get all the time and space you needed. I’m not mad, I’m not anything. I’m just honestly glad he’s okay. You’re okay.”
“I love you,” Henry whispered. “You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”
So. Yeah. That had become a thing over the past few months, too. Them saying I love you to each other so openly no matter who hears or sees.
And look, Alex doesn’t mind at all. He does love Henry.
But that night, that very moment, with Henry soft and relaxed and safe in his arms, Alex realized that love was something much deeper than platonic. He didn’t even have time to address the fact that along with this realization was the discovery of his fucking bisexuality.
All his mind focused on was that he loved Henry. The realization hit him so hard his chest tightened a bit. But then it spread like warmth all over right after.
With Henry still resting in his arms, Alex whispered back, “I love you too,” while his eyes were staring up at the starry sky, as if whispering a secret out into the universe.
Saying those words for the first time with a meaning much different than the ones in the past, it was like breathing a new air much more relieving and consuming at the same time.
Just like the way he loved Henry.
“Wait—” Henry lifts his head up a bit to look at Alex. “I haven’t taken my turn yet in the game.”
Alex chuckles softly, pressing his nose on Henry’s hair, taking in his scent that he abso-fucking-lutely loves. “It’s fine, sweetheart. No biggie. We could go on next time.”
Age 21.
It’s been a fucking busy semester. Alex is in his senior year of Political Science in NYU, and he’s been doing case study analyses here and there. And he’s tired. Probably burned out, even.
He misses Texas. He misses his twin. He misses Nora, his best friend slash June’s girlfriend. He misses Henry.
No, Henry’s not in Texas. He’s actually in NYU too, under English Literature. He also lives in the same dorm with Alex. It’s just.
Finals week. Alex stays overtime at the library most of the time to focus on his case studies, and Henry takes his alone time to focus on his thesis focusing on Jane Austen literacy. Yup, that man probably loves Jane Austen more than anything in the world.
So, yeah. They haven’t gotten to catch up with each other even at home, and it’s driving Alex fucking crazy. Shit like that should be illegal, really.
He stands up way too quickly and harshly, the feet of the chair slightly scraping the floor that makes an unpleasant noise. He flashes the librarian—who glares at his direction—an apologetic grin before scooping up his things and heading home.
“Alex?” Alex hears Henry call out in a confused tone from the dining area, which they use more often as a study area since they usually eat on the kitchen counter.
Alex’s about to open his mouth to say something when the way Henry fucking looks right now makes him stop in his tracks.
Henry’s wearing glasses.
Which. Wow. It’s been around a fucking decade ago since Alex last saw him wear his glasses. He thought he didn’t need them anymore over the years.
And fuck. With Henry’s more matured facial features, his blonde hair sexily tousled on top of his pretty head, the glasses are just adding up to his sex appeal. Why does Henry Fox have to be so fucking sexy??
“You’re…” Alex swallows, mouth and throat suddenly dry. “You’re wearing glasses. Again?”
As he walks closer to where Henry’s sitting, Alex can see more clearly the blush on his best friend’s cheeks.
“Oh, erm. Yeah. I’ve always packed them with me in case I needed them. Haven’t needed them for a while, actually,” Henry chuckles as he removes them. Alex wants to scream Don’t take them off!
“But lately, my eyes have been killing me. They’re probably exhausted from me working too much but I really need to finish this thesis before the deadline comes two weeks from now,” Henry adds, pouting a bit, which brings Alex back to the reason why he went home early in the first place.
Alex sighs, plopping himself onto the seat next to Henry’s. “We both work too much,” he says, while ironically pulling out his textbooks, his unfinished notes and his pencil case.
“Anyway, that’s why I’m home early. I’ve been thinking, we’re both overworking ourselves. We live together. Why the fuck do we have to study separately when we could do it together?” Alex turns his head to pout at Henry, who chuckles fondly at him while patting his cheek. Alex instantly melts.
“I just. I miss you, Hen.” Alex’s voice can’t help but become soft and tender, a bit vulnerable, even. He’d be ashamed if only not for Henry’s smile.
Henry’s smile makes Alex want to just fucking lean in and kiss him. “I missed you too, darling. What do you say we leave this to finish tomorrow and we could perhaps… watch a film before going to bed?”
“Perhaps,” Alex teases with a grin, mocking Henry’s British accent. He laughs when Henry huffs and playfully pushes him away. “You choose the movie, I’ll get the popcorn.”
Henry nods with a smile before they part ways, Henry to the living room and Alex to the kitchen, studying (only for tonight, that is) be damned.
When Alex gets to the living room, bowl of popcorn in hand and two water bottles in hand because they only have those and beer which they can’t drink until finals are over just to be safe, he sees that a random film is already playing.
“I hope you don’t mind that I chose a random, probably trashy film on Netflix,” Henry grins sheepishly. “I figured we’re both too tired to process anything that’s going to happen, so I thought we might as well put something we couldn’t care less to miss.”
Alex truly doesn’t mind, because they end up catching up on each other instead.
Alex learns that Arthur and Catherine are planning on putting up a small business soon. “Probably a bookstore or something,” Henry shares fondly. “I personally think it’d be great. Since we’re basically a family of bookworms.”
Alex grins. “I think it’s great too, sweetheart. I’m in full support.” Henry grins back gratefully.
Henry learns that Ellen is planning to run for office. Congresswoman Ellen Claremont. “And how do you feel about that?” Henry asks gently, a warm hand on Alex’s arm.
Alex shrugs. “Haven’t had the time to think about it yet,” he frowns. A gentle squeeze on his arm makes him look up at Henry.
“Take all the time you need. Your mum’s decisions are a big deal and would certainly affect you and June majorly. Like you said—” Henry takes Alex’s hand into his own, long fingers delicately wrapping around him they might as well wrap around his fucking heart too.
“—I’m in full support,” Henry finishes with a smile that clenches at Alex’s chest and there’s really nothing else he could do than pull him in for a hug.
“I love you,” his mouth slips out in a whisper.
He feels Henry’s hug tighten around him. “I love you too, love.”
Alex closes his eyes, and even just for a short while, lets himself believe that Henry means it the way Alex wants him.
*
Alex glances at the clock on his phone. 4:25. So much for trying to fucking sleep.
He huffs out a frustrated breath and gets up, quickly changes into a plain white shirt and his running shorts, slips on his running shoes. He sends off a quick text, peeks through Henry’s room, just to make sure he’s really asleep, and goes out of the dorm.
Then he starts running. And running. Like he always does when his mind gets too noisy and he can’t find the off switch.
Before he knows it, his feet have led him to a familiar front door of another apartment.
Chest heaving from catching his breath, he raises his fist and knocks.
The moment the door opens, he melts into the welcoming arms in front of him.
“Missed you,” he mumbles tiredly, leaning his head on June’s chest.
“You’re lucky I’m still awake,” June softly teases, gently pulling Alex inside her shared apartment with Nora and closing the door.
“So.” June hands him a fresh bottle of water, which Alex immediately accepts and chugs. “What’s bothering you?”
Alex wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, then he sighs while leaning his head back against the couch. “Two truths and a lie.”
“I’m scared of my future with Nora. I really fucking miss you. I love it here and I don’t wanna go back to Texas.”
Alex snorts. Fucking easy. “Third. No one else loves Texas the way we do, twin.”
June grins while shrugging. “Didn’t want to make things too complicated for your poor little head.”
“Shut up.” Alex rolls his eyes before his mind reels back to the choices. He looks at June with a sad smile and scoots closer to her, wrapping an arm around her.
“You’re scared of your future with Nora?” he whispers, caressing June’s shoulder. “It literally gives me goosebumps while saying this, but that girl’s fucking gone on you. No doubts. I may not be as good at numbers at she is, but I’m certain of it a hundred fucking percent.”
“I know..” June sighs, closing her eyes. Alex massages her head gently. “It’s just… sometimes I worry about being too much for her, and…” she trails off and sighs, seemingly out of words. Alex squeezes her gently, silently letting her know that he understands. As twins, they both have the same worries most of the time.
“Anyway. Two truths and a lie.” June looks up at him without pulling away from their hug. Alex sighs with a smile and leans his head back while thinking.
“I really fucking miss you. I haven’t told Henry I love him. I want Mom to run for Congress.”
He watches June contemplate on what her answer is for a few seconds. “Well, considering we haven’t talked about it yet, I’d say third.”
Alex sighs in defeat. “I’m just scared. This is really big, Bug. Like, it’s going to affect us big time. What if it doesn’t work out?”
“I’m scared, too,” June admits. “But we both know Mama. When she wants something, she wants something. And it’s usually out of the goodness of her heart. What if it does work out?”
Alex hides his face in June’s neck, and for a few minutes, they chat more about Ellen’s possible campaign, Nora, studies, Henry.
Shit. Henry.
“I have to go, Bug. I don’t want Henry to wake up without me there he’s gonna get mad at me again,” Alex chuckles while standing up.
June pulls him into a tight hug that will always feel like home. “Tell him,” she whispers. He closes his eyes while listening. “You’ll never know what his answer will be.”
Alex sure fucking hopes to God he’ll like that answer.
“Besides, why do you think you two have never even attempted to date anyone else?” June points out while walking him out of the apartment.
That thought and realization stays in Alex’s mind until he gets home and manages to catch some sleep.
*
To: Hen
heyyy sweetheart
im done w classes
From: Hen
Well, that was quick. Lucky :(
I still have two more before my day ends.
To: Hen
want me to wait for u?
that way we can go home together &
maybe … study together? :D
From: Hen
You sure, Alex? It’d probably take me about 2
more hours to finish.
To: Hen
im fuckin sure, baby
ill grab us something to eat at home too
wraps ok?
From: Hen
Okay. <3
“Alex!” Henry grins when he sees Alex waiting outside his classroom. It makes Alex grin too; it’s rare that they meet at each other’s classrooms before going home. They usually do outside campus only, but today’s special.
Today, Alex is going to pour his fucking heart out to Henry, hoping he wouldn’t step on it and crush it into little bits and pieces that Alex may never be able to mend.
“Hey, sweetheart.” Alex gives him a hug, careful not to squish the paperbag of food he bought earlier. “You ready to go home?”
Henry nods with a smile, and together they start walking home. They share a small chat about each other’s days. How Alex took a 30-minute nap at the library before going to that food cart a couple blocks away from campus. How Henry ranked highest at this surprise quiz on Victorian literature.
“Fuckin’ proud of you, sweetheart!” Alex grins while nudging Henry’s side gently. Henry blushes.
“Thank you, darling.”
“So I take it you don’t regret taking up English Lit instead of Journalism, then?” Alex asks with a fond smile.
“I really don't.” Henry grins. “English Literature has helped me in lots of ways, but most of all, it helped me improve the way I could improve my expression of my feelings.”
Alex wishes he was good at expressing his feelings, too. But he has to deal with what he has and what he can.
“I think the food’s getting a bit cold, do you want me to reheat them first?” he asks as they enter the apartment. David immediately greets them by nuzzling on their legs.
“I don’t think that’s necessary, love. I’m bloody starving.” Alex cackles at that before setting up the food on the counter. They eat together for a few minutes, and Henry offers to clean up.
Alex decides to watch him, propping himself on the counter. It takes everything in him not to wrap his arms around Henry from behind, leave kisses on his neck and shoulder. It all feels so domestic watching him like this. Alex thinks—no, Alex knows Henry fits in his life like no one else probably ever will.
Alex is about to open his mouth, say something so love-stupid, when Henry beats him to it first. “All done!” He grins after turning around while wiping his hands dry with a kitchen towel.
Alex subtly shakes his head to wake himself up, and grins back. “Now, let’s fucking kill this study thing so we can get this over with.
*
The letters are already mixing in Alex’s eyes and his brain.
He rubs them with the pad of his hands, then looks around. The bright lights in Alex’s bedroom are now hurting his eyes, which he squints as he waits for his sight to focus on Henry, who is still busy typing away on his laptop while sitting on the top part of the bed, his head leaned back against the headboard.
He looks at the time on his phone, and he sees they still have time for a short break.
He closes his binder and textbook and sets them to the side, and goes back to watching Henry work. He smiles; Henry is always so pretty like this: at home, in his glasses, in his favorite pajamas, in his zone.
But then he also notices the way Henry’s brows are slightly furrowed. The way he’s slightly flexing his fingers as if they’re starting to sore.
You’ll never know what his answer will be.
Is Alex ready to find out what it is?
One more look at the beautiful man in front of him, and he’s willing to risk every fucking thing he has just to find out.
So. He sits up from lying on his stomach on the bed. Sits beside Henry while sitting on crossed legs, slightly facing him a bit.
“Two truths and a lie. Go.”
Henry quickly raises a brow at him. “What, now?” Then goes back to typing. Ugh.
“Come on! We both need a distraction and a break, so let’s!” Alex nudges Henry’s elbow while grinning. “I’ll go first.”
Henry huffs in defeat, closing his laptop. “By all means.”
This is it. Alex gulps. He puts on a more serious face, gently pries Henry’s laptop away from him, and holds both of Henry’s hands tightly in his own.
“What…?” Henry’s eyes are confused, yet he still gives a pretty smile. It makes Alex smile too.
“I love walking David with you in the morning.” Henry’s grin is wider and more genuine now. “June’s dulce de leche is my favorite.” He snorts, as if not believing.
“I’m in love with you.”
It takes all the effort for Alex not to visibly react at how Henry audibly gasps and his eyes widen.
Alex tightens his hold on Henry’s hands as he starts feeling them slightly tremble. Oh.
“The… the last one is a lie,” Henry whispers shakily, as if trying to convince himself. He looks as if he wants to look away but at the same time doesn’t.
Alex smiles a bit more shyly.
“Try again, sweetheart.”
“Alex…” Henry croaks out. “You’re—”
“So fucking in love with you, it’s hard to breathe sometimes and I may have also already imagined what our wedding would look like?” Alex gulps. “Yeah, baby.”
Alex doesn’t expect what happens next—Henry cries.
“Hen… Henry?” Alex attempts to let go of Henry’s hands to comfort him or anything, but this time, it’s Henry who doesn’t let go.
“Sweetheart, fuck, why are you crying? Did I say something wrong? Fuck, you don’t have to say anything if you don’t—”
“Alexander, for the love of God, please, shut up,” Henry cries out while grinning. “Fuck, I cannot believe you, truly.”
He clears his throat. The smile is still on his face, and slightly less tears have fallen. But he’s still crying. “One truth and two lies.”
Alex is fucking confused, but he’s starting to smile too. “Sweetheart, that’s not how—”
“One truth and two lies. Keep up please, love.”
Alex rolls his eyes before nodding at Henry to go ahead, which he immediately does.
“I hate you for beating me in confessing.” Henry gulps. “I’m not bloody shaking at all right now. And…” Henry stares into Alex’s eyes. The blue in them shining more brightly and beautifully than ever.
There’s a glint that Alex now realizes has been there this whole time whenever Henry would look at him. Oh, fuck.
“I’ve been in love with you the first moment you laid in my parents’ backyard when we were 6 and you introduced yourself to me as if you were introducing a completely new light into my life.”
“Oh, fuck,” Alex exclaims, making Henry chuckle in between tears. “Fuck, I can feel you shaking right now, baby. And I know judging by your pretty smile—” God, Henry’s just so fucking beautiful when he blushes. “I know you don’t hate me for beating you in confessing.”
“Well, I want to, actually, but—” Alex finally shuts Henry up with the one way he’s been wanting to do all his life.
One hand on Henry’s nape to pull him closer. Another on Henry’s thigh. Then he crashes his lips onto Henry’s stupidly full ones and fuck. Wow.
Kissing Henry gives Alex a different sense of relief. He slowly exhales, the frantic beating of his heart coming down to a steady rhythm, his mind clearing until all he could focus on is the feeling of Henry kissing him back with so much love it’s making him cry.
Their lips mold together like two perfect puzzle pieces. It feels so right. Like this is where he belongs—under the feeling of Henry’s kisses, around the warmth of his presence and his touch, around all the love that Henry is pouring out to him.
“Fuck,” he breathes out after pulling away, pressing his forehead onto Henry’s. Henry’s answer is a breathy chuckle, and Alex can’t help but press another kiss on those pretty lips.
“I love you, Alex,” Henry says, his eyes showing the love at his words could not express enough.
“Oh, baby… I love you too.”
“God, Alex… You have no idea how fucking happy I am.” Henry sniffles. Oh shit, he’s crying…
“All this time, I thought you were straight, but then you never really dated anyone, but—”
“Baby,” Alex shushes Henry gently, cupping his face. “You’re the reason I didn’t want to date.” He smiles softly at him. “The moment I realized I was bisexual and in love with you, I didn’t want there to be anyone else. You’re more than enough for me.”
“Christ,” Henry mutters, and they’re kissing again, this time softer.
“Can’t believe we could’ve been doing this the whole time if I hadn’t been so scared to say it out loud,” Alex whispers after they pull apart. Alex pulls Henry into the tightest hug they’ve ever shared. Nuzzles his neck and leaves a soft kiss on it.
He hears rather than sees Henry’s smile. A soft breath that sounds like a huff of a grin. “We have all the time in the world now, love. We could now do anything our hearts desire to and with each other.”
Alex pulls away, a playful grin on his lips. “Anything, huh?”
Henry’s eyes widen. “Oh, no, I didn’t mean now—Alex!” he shrieks in laughter when Alex pushes him to lay on the bed and goes on top of him, kissing Henry with all the love in his heart.
And if they ended up making out for the rest of their study session, it’s nobody else’s business but theirs.
Age 29.
“Love.”
“Yes, baby?”
“Two truths and a lie. May I go first?”
“By all means.”
“I wish to visit Paris someday, preferably with you. My manuscript is finally complete.”
“Okay, the answer’s obvi—”
“And I want you to marry me, Alex Claremont-Diaz.”
“Oh, fuck!”
“Alex, your phone—”
“Fuck the phone. And fuck you.”
“What—”
“What the fuck, Fox! You fucking—”
“Is that—”
“Yes, you asshole! I was waiting for our anniversary before I pop the fucking question, but you just had to beat me to it, didn’t you?”
“Bloody hell. Ask me then.”
“Henry fucking Fox, pain in my ass and the absolute love of my life, will you fucking marry me, baby?”
“Fucking yes, darling.”
“Now come here, you asshole and kiss me—”