Chapter Text
Alex wakes up and rolls over to kiss Henry only to find the bed empty.
He frowns and gets out of bed in search of his baby.
He finds him writing in his home office.
'Babe? It's pretty early. How early did you wake up?' Alex asks as he walks over to kiss him good morning.
Henry looks up and smiles at him. "Hello, love. I thought of the perfect plot twist.'
'That's great, baby. I am really proud of you. Can you answer the question though?" Alex asks as he goes to drink some of Henry's half-full water glass.
"Oh, uhm, an hour ago?' Henry lies.
Alex hums. "And now the truth? You're lying. I thought we didn't do that.'
Henry saves his Word document. 'Sorry. Yeah. No. I didn't sleep.'
Alex groans. "Henry.'
Henry sighs. "I didn't do it on purpose.'
Alex bites his lip. 'No, I know. But like not at all? Not even for an hour?' He asks worriedly.
Henry shakes his head.
Alex goes to sit in his lap. "Babe. We went to bed early on purpose. Because you didn't sleep the night before. Like at all."
Henry sighs. "No, I know. But-'
Alex groans. 'Sweetheart, that means you've been awake for like...48 hours.'
Henry hums. "Yeah, I know.'
Alex groans again. "Babe, that's not healthy.'
Henry shrugs. "I didn't do it on purpose. I tried to sleep. I just couldn't.'
"Baby, you should have woken me up', Alex sighs.
Henry shakes his head. 'No, there was nothing you could have done.'
Alex bites his lip. 'You're going to the doctor today.'
Henry shakes his head. "I am fine.'
'Yeah, for now. But that will change if you don't sleep soon', Alex says gently.
'If you have me hospitalized... I am divorcing you', Henry grumbles.
Alex kisses his forehead. 'Not hospitalized, I just want you to get prescription sleep pills. And we're engaged, not married.'
Henry sighs. "I don't want to become a drug addict and have to take sleep pills for the rest of my life.'
Alex kisses his forehead. "Of course not. But it will just be for a few days. Just so you can get a few good nights of sleep. Either you make a call to your doctor and ask them for prescription sleep meds. Or I am going over there after work and I am going to cry on command, like the talented son of a bitch I am, until they give me a few sleep pills.'
Henry scoffs. "And you're going to force me to take them if they give them to you?"
Alex shakes his head. "Force you? No. I would never. But I am not above begging.'
Henry sighs. "Fine. I'll try it, but only for a week.'
Alex hugs him from behind as he rests his head on Henry's shoulder to look at the Word Document. 'That's all I am asking, baby.'
Henry hums. "I want to finish this scene. You should get ready for work.'
Alex kisses him again. "Okay. but you're making that call when you're done writing.'
Henry nods. "I will. I promise. Are you going to make yourself a coffee now?'
Alex hums.
"Can I have one too?" Henry asks.
Alex raises an eyebrow at him. "That depends. Do you think you could fall asleep right now if you tried?'
Henry shakes his head.
Alex sighs. 'Okay, then I'll make you a coffee. How do you want it, sweetheart?'
'Just black', Henry says absentminded as he starts to write again.
Alex chuckles. 'Very brave, sweetheart. But you never drink coffee. You'll hate it.'
Henry sighs. "How do you drink it?"
Alex shrugs. "I used to drink it with cinnamon and sugar. Now I put ice cubes, oat milk and cinnamon in.'
Henry nods. "Okay, yeah I want that too. If that's okay.'
Alex sighs dramatically. 'I don't know, babe. I am not exactly known for sharing my coffee'
Henry laughs. "If it's not too much effort. Otherwise, I'll do it myself when I've finished this scene.'
Alex scoffs. "I was messing with you, of course It's not too much effort. I'll bring it to you in 5 minutes. Feel like joining me in the shower after I- after we have had our coffee?'
Henry hums. "Yes, good idea, my love.'
'No sexy time though, you're exhausted', Alex points out.
Henry shrugs as he starts to type again. "I could get it up for you'.
Alex laughs. "I don't doubt that, but that doesn't sound like a responsible idea. We can wash each other's hair, but no orgasms.'
Henry pouts. 'Not even a hand job?'
Alex shakes his head. "No, baby. You're very sexy and it's tempting but You've been awake for 48 hours. Let's spare your energy okay?'
Henry groans. "I can't believe you're punishing me for having insomnia'
Alex laughs. "Okay, first of all, I am punishing us both. Because I'd very much like morning blow jobs too. And second of all it's not a punishment, I just don't feel like I'd be a very good fiancé if I fucked you right now.'
Henry sighs. "Well you've convinced me, I'll call the doctor for some sleep medication.'
"Babe, you already promised me you would', Alex reminds him gently.
Henry groans again. "The things I'd do for sex."
Alex laughs. 'Stop it. This is for your health."
Henry shrugs. "Sleep is for the weak."
Alex groans. "You spent too much time with me. I always said that during law school."
Henry hums. "I know, I still have nightmares about it."
"When?" Alex asks cheekily.
*****
Henry frowns at the little note in the prescription bottle.
"These side effects are outrageous. I am not doing it", he groans.
Alex grabs his hand. "I would never force you to do anything, but I really think you should at least give this a shot, babe."
Henry groans. "But they can cause hallucinations!"
Alex gently plays with his hair. "So can not sleeping, sweetheart. So might as well hallucinate and get a good night of sleep then hallucinate from natural causes and stay awake all night. I promise I'll still love you if you start to believe David is a unicorn."
Henry huffs. "I don't want to do it. Not with you around. There is nothing less sexy than losing your sanity in front of your boyfriend."
Alex sighs as he tugs him closer. "Okay, first of all, I am your fiancé, but I'll let that one slide given you've been awake for like 50-plus hours, like a serial killer. Second of all, you could never not be sexy to me. And third of all no one said anything about losing your sanity. Hallucinations, vivid dreams and panic attacks and disorientation? None of those things make you crazy. Or do you secretly judge me when I have a panic attack? Because In that case, I am going to need that pretty ring back, baby."
Henry rolls his eyes at him before cuddling closer. 'Of course not. I would never think that you're crazy for having panic attacks."
Alex hums. "Thought so. But you are not allowed to have panic attacks?"
Henry shakes his head. 'It's the hallucinations and extreme disorientation and vivid nightmares that are freaking me out. What if I do something crazy when I wake up? That man that was chasing people with a knife last week in the mall? That was on the news, he was hallucinating according to the police. What if I become violent toward you? If I take these meds you have to handcuff me to the bed."
Alex laughs. "Babe, wasn't I suppose to be the overthinker in this relationship? My ADHD coach once told me I have a real gift for always coming up with the worst-case scenario. Don't you dare take my title from me."
Henry chuckles lightly.
Alex sighs. "Babe, I seriously doubt that man started chasing people with a knife because he took a little sleep pill. That was more than likely a side effect of a hard drug like XTC or cocaine. No one is making you take XTC, sweetheart. If you'd get murderous tendencies from a sleep pill doctors wouldn't describe them this easily. And I am not handcuffing you to the bed while you're disorientated, that sounds like a consent issue to me. And I am also not hiding the knives because you're not nuts, babe. You might wake up confused and maybe you'll start seeing some things that aren't here, but that's about as scary as it's going to get. I am sure. And I'll be here the whole time. I can handle a little crazy. What I can't handle is getting a call from the doctor that my baby has fainted and fallen down the stairs and broken his neck, because he lost consciousness after being awake for 3 days straight. So let's just try to take a pill, yeah?"
That night after taking a pill Henry falls asleep right away in Alex's arms.
Alex is delighted to finally see his baby get some sleep.
Four hours later, around 4 am, Henry wakes up startled and rushes out of bed.
Alex squints his eyes at the darkness.
"Babe?' He yells before turning the lights off and realizing Henry ran out of their room.
"Shit! H?" He yells, instantly on high alert.
What if he ran outside, confused and scared and half naked?
Oh god.
He rushes into their living room and lets a relieved breath out when he sees the lights on in the bedroom.
There he finds Henry on his knees in front of the toilet.
"Oh, sweetheart, I am sorry. I am here", he says gently as he rubs his back as Henry throws up.
Afterward, Henry washes his face, brushes his teeth and grumbles as he sinks into Alex's waiting arms.
"Stupid pills", he grumbles.
Alex sighs, hugging him closer. "I am sorry, babe. Do you want to eat something or drink something?"
Henry shakes his head.
"Let's try to drink some water, okay? And then you can go back to sleep", Alex says gently.
Henry groans. "Do I have to?"
"I don't want to say yes, because I don't want you to feel like this is a controlling relationship but.. yeah, kinda. Throwing up makes you dehydrated, babe", Alex says before sliding a glass of water toward him.
Henry squints at the funky black letters. "What does it say? My vision is being weird".
"Ah, are you dizzy? Fuck. I am sorry, babe. I feel bad for making you take the pills", Alex sighs.
Henry shrugs. "You didn't make me. And I slept for four hours in a row for the first time in 3 days. So yay."
Alex snorts. "The water bottle says Bad bitches drink their water. June got it for me when I wasn't drinking enough water due to hyper fixation in law school."
Henry chuckles as he takes another sip. "I am done with this shite. Can I go back to bed?"
Alex chuckles. "Oh no, your proper manners went down the drain. Yes, go back to bed, baby. I'll be right there. I am just going to clean the toilet so we won't wake up to a funny smell."
Henry shakes his head. "I'll do it, you have to get up for work in a bit", he says as he stands up and almost goes crashing onto the carpet.
Alex grabs his waist in time. "Funny. You're going to bed, sweetheart. Just enjoy the fact that you don't have to ask me to do household tasks for once. You're living the dream. Now off to bed, you go."
Henry sighs. "Okay, fine. But no coffee for you. You can still sleep until 7. Coffee at 7. Not at 4."
Alex groans. "Fine".
A few minutes later after Alex has prepared their breakfasts, now that he's awake anyway he figured he'd spare his future self some time, he hears a loud bang, that does not come from the bedroom.
"Hen? Baby?" He yells as he rushes toward the bathroom.
There he finds Henry sobbing next to a spilled bottle of bleach.
"Were you not going to bed, sweetheart?" He asks gently.
"I didn't want you to clean my puke and find me gross", Henry pouts.
Alex kneels down next to him. "Babe, I'd never find you gross. This shit is normal. What happened?"
"I thought I'd do it myself but then I got dizzy and fell a little bit and knocked over the bleach", Henry confesses.
Alex raises an eyebrow at him. "You fell a little bit? You mean you fell? You got dizzy and you fell?"
Henry nods.
Alex sighs. "Did you hit your head? Do I have to bring you to the hospital, baby?"
Henry shakes his head. "No, just my hip and side hurt. I didn't bang my head. I caught myself on time."
Alex nods. "Can I take a look?" He asks gently.
Henry nods as Alex lowers his sweatpants a bit so he can look at his hip.
Alex frowns. "That's going to bruise.. I'll get you some ice. Did you get bleach on you, baby? Because that's an aggressive chemical, you'll have to shower before you get burn wounds. Sorry, I should have asked that first."
Henry shakes his head. "No, I am fine...but I knocked over the whole thing."
Alex chuckles. "I can see that. It's fine. I'll clean it up with gloves. And we have other cleaning products. Just go to bed, baby."
Henry nods and stands up before almost banging his head on the door.
Alex laughs. "You're lucky you're pretty", he coos.
Henry pouts. "I am not a failure. I am just dizzy."
Alex lifts him up in a bridal position.
"I'd never call you a failure, sweetheart. Come let's get you to bed."
He carries Henry to their bed and tucks him in.
Then he goes to the kitchen to grab some ice.
He brings the icepack to Henry, puts their breakfast in the fridge and cleans the bathroom.
At 4:40 he's back in bed.
"I can still sleep till 7 so stop feeling guilty", Alex whispers.
As he tries to cuddle Henry he flinches and almost falls out of the bed.
"Sorry, babe. Didn't mean to startle you", Alex whispers.
Henry turns around to face him and squints his eyes at him.
He hadn't been disorientated just now.
But after 15 minutes of sleep, he seems a bit disorientated.
He mumbles something.
"What's that, babe?" Alex asks softly.
'Babe?" Henry repeats confused.
"Yeah, that's you, my baby", Alex coos.
Henry squints his eyes again. "Alex?" He asks.
Alex nods. "Yeah, I'm here, baby. Let's sleep now, yeah?"
Henry nods and throws himself on top of Alex making him chuckle as he covers them with blankets.
At 7:15 Alex's alarm for court goes off.
Henry groans dramatically from where he's splayed across Alex's chest.
Alex chuckles. "Sorry, baby. I didn't want to interrupt your beauty sleep but I have to go to work. I will set an alarm for you at 11 am though. You need the sleep, let's take advantage of the fact that you can finally sleep. If you wake up at 11 am you still have plenty of time to hit your writing goal before I am home again and we have dinner."
Henry nods. "Yeah, okay."
Alex gently strokes his hair. "Your breakfast is in the fridge, baby. If you're still dizzy at 11 am don't be scared to stay in bed longer. I will be in court so unfortunately you can't call or text me whenever you like, like when I am in the office. That being said, if there is an emergency, if you fall or you get really sick or you have a panic attack or something, you can always call me. I will have my phone on me for emergencies and I will get really mad if you don't call me during an emergency, okay? If there is something important you have to tell me don't text. My phone will be on silent only letting emergency calls from my favorite list through so you'll only be able to reach me if you call me. Got it? I will walk David so you don't have to do that until around 3 pm. If you're too dizzy to do it at 3 pm just pay one of the kids next door 5 dollars to do it. They're done with school at 2, so I am sure they'll be happy to help you at 3, should you still be dizzy. I will put dextro on the kitchen table. That's what I use when I get dizzy. I will text you all of this as well. Don't work out today, okay? That's not a good idea if you might get dizzy spells. I think that's it. I want to be able to focus on court so please don't do anything that will stress me the fuck out. No standing on barstools or ladders, no carrying heavy things down the stairs, just don't do anything that might be dangerous if you suddenly get dizzy, okay?"
Henry nods. "Yes, got it. I am in my twenties. I am not a fool."
Alex chuckles. "I know that. I didn't imply that you were, did I? I am just a little overprotective."
Henry raises an eyebrow at him. "A little overprotective?"
Alex laughs. "Shush go back to bed. Let's enjoy the fact that you can sleep for once."
Henry nods curling back into the blankets.
"I will feed David so you don't have to do that until dinner time. And I should be back by then. I can cook for us after work but if you get hungry before I am back you're obviously allowed to start on dinner yourself. Just please for the love of god no more chickpeas this week", Alex says dramatically.
Henry chuckles. "They are healthy."
"Babe, I love you, but there are only so many chickpeas a man can handle in a week", Alex says before kissing him.
"I have morning breath", Henry complains.
"You brushed your teeth 3 hours ago. You're fine", Alex reminds him.
"Why does my hip hurt so much? How hard did you dig your nails into them when you snagged me last night?" Henry complains.
Alex frowns. "That's not a sex bruise, babe. My god, how rough do you think I am? I would never hurt you. Besides we didn't have sex yesterday, because you were too sleep deprived. That was two days ago, babe. But I get that it might seem like yesterday if you didn't sleep that night. But you got the bruise from when You fell in the bathroom, remember? 3 hours ago?"
Henry rolls around to look at at him.
"Alex, it's 7 am. We went to bed at midnight. 3 hours ago I was asleep".
Alex frowns. "You don't remember waking up? Like at all?"
Henry shakes his head. "Is that why you keep talking about dizziness and why you said I just brushed my teeth?'
Alex nods. "Yeah, you woke up at 4 am. Threw up. Brushed your teeth. Then I prepared breakfast and found you trying to clean the toilet. You got dizzy and fell and knocked over an entire bottle of bleach. Don't worry I cleaned the bathroom and I gave you an icepack for your hip. I am sorry it hurts."
"I don't remember any of that. Did I say or do anything crazy?" Henry asks worriedly.
Alex shakes his head. "No, like I said you were behaving perfectly normal. You were dizzy and you cried after you fell, but I think you were crying about making a mess of the bathroom rather than from falling. I am not sure, but you weren't acting weird. You also didn't act disorientated, only when I got into bed but that was only a few seconds, that's why I figured you remembered everything."
Henry shakes his head. "I don't but I am glad you were here."
Alex kisses him again. "Me too. That's scary to think about though. These pills seem quite dangerous to take if you live alone. Don't ever take them if I am not home, okay?"
Henry nods. "I won't. I am sorry you had to take care of me and clean up my puke."
Alex shakes his head. "Don't apologize. Were literally engaged. It's no big deal. I love being there for you. I find it scary that the drugs had such an effect on you though. Are we sure you took the right doses?"
Henry nods. "Yeah, just one blue pill."
Alex changes the alarm to 11 am.
"I am going to get ready for work now. Go back to sleep. And good luck with your writing. You're going to nail that deadline. Promise me you'll still eat breakfast and lunch though. And drink lots of fluid because you did throw up. Do you need me to prepare your lunch too?"
Henry shakes his head. "Darling, I appreciate all that you've done for me, but I am a grown man I can make myself a sandwich."
Alex kisses him again. "Okay, I am going to work now. One more time. What do you do when there is an emergency?"
Henry hums. "Lay on the ground and bleed to death and send you one text message."
Alex glares at him.
"I got it, darling. Your phone is off, except for emergency calls so if I need to reach you I have to call you. Only for emergencies. But I shouldn't feel guilty to call you if I need you."
Alex nods. "Okay. Yes. I really have to leave now If I want to be out of the door at 8 am. I still have to shower and walk David and it's probably 7:30 by now."
Henry hums. "Good luck in court."
Alex kisses him one more time. "Thank you, baby. Try to get a few more hours of sleep, okay?"
Henry nods.