Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandoms:
Relationship:
Characters:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:
2024-07-13
Completed:
2024-08-11
Words:
1,908
Chapters:
8/8
Comments:
287
Kudos:
1,922
Bookmarks:
309
Hits:
26,024

god only knows where this could go

Summary:

Alex knows what he wants, and boy he's gonna get it.

-

Social Media AU! told entirely through text messages and Instagram posts (and the occasional additional iPhone app).

Notes:

hi!!!!

this is a silly lil socmed!au that all started from this tweet. I couldn't stop thinking about it, made a short text chain to add to the head canon, people enjoyed it, and now i'm completely invested in this small universe i've created.

i'm updating this on Twitter regularly (almost every day), and will be compiling the tweets into chunky chapters every now and then. you decide how you want to enjoy this!

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1: nice to meet ya

Chapter Text

prompt: Bea posting an IG pic supporting her lil bro's polo match and Alex (who is only moots w her thru June) has an aneurysm trying to find his IG without having to humiliate himself and ask Bea for it (he doesn't have one) (Alex is going insane)

 

 

Alex gives up and asks Nora.

 

 

 

 

Henry's POV

 

 

 

 

Alex POV (they've been texting nonstop for 6 hours now) (Henry, go to sleep)

 

 

 

 

The Claremont-Diaz Siblings use lower caps (June hates her contact name and pic)

 

 

 

 

Chapter 2: brand new, full throttle

Chapter Text

 

This is why you don't multitask Henry!!!

 

 

 

and also:

 

 

Henry really likes the last photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big sisters are wonderful (even your future sister-in-law).

 

 

 

 

 

Junora to the rescue!

 

 

 

and:

 

 

Nora convinces Alex to visit Manhattan as well:

 

 

 

Chapter 3: hashbrown, egg yolk

Chapter Text

Alex was having a boring afternoon before this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Henry is trying (and failing) to keep his cool.

 

 

They end up FaceTiming all day (their phones are burning up):

 

 

ps: Henry has a Pinterest (:

 

 

 

 

Alex loves celebrating his national holidays.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 4: fuck it if i can’t have him

Chapter Text

google translate really is Henry’s best friend: 

 


(translation):

 

 

down bad by tswift is their national anthem:

 

 

possessive Henry returns:

 

 

(Henry ends up letting Alex post it):

 

 

As Alex would say, Henry’s starting to match his freak!!!!

 




T-minus 10 days until Alex meets Henry (he’s losing his mind):

 

Henry and Bea’s convo:

 

 

Chapter 5: two stars passing by

Chapter Text

alex loves lists:



  

  

 

June is rolling her eyes from across the aisle: 

 

 

Henry’s going to leave a hefty tip for the cleaning crew for ALL of their troubles:

 

 

two days until Henry arrives and Alex is getting clingy: 

 

 

Chapter 6: a thousand miles away from the day that we started

Notes:

wasn’t planning on writing any prose for this fic but it didn’t feel right to have Henry and Alex finally meet and not see it.

short but i feel like it’s enough to convey all the feels (:

Chapter Text

There’s a very obscure memory deep in the recesses of Henry’s mind of a school ceremony he once had to accept an award for on stage. 

He can’t remember which year, what award, what day, what he was wearing, or who was in the audience. Honestly, at this rate, Henry wouldn’t be surprised if this wasn’t even a memory at all, perhaps just a vivid nightmare that has persisted throughout his life. All he can tell you is that in those God awful minutes, when he was pushed along until his shoes squeaked against the wooden stage floor, as he dragged his feet to the centre spotlight and stared up at a stranger in a pressed suit with a heavy frame in his hands, Henry has never come close to feeling the same level of anxiety as in that moment. 

He thinks this easily tops that day. 

Henry’s in baggage claim, watching the carousel turn slowly as dozens of suitcases emerge from behind the rubber flaps, his stomach mimicking the turning of the conveyor belt. 

He tries not to think about it too hard but it proves to be quite difficult. 

It’s difficult to not mentally pace through the last few weeks of his life—texts and video calls, Instagram posts and Pinterest boards, all leading to this moment. Henry is minutes away from meeting a man who, a year ago, he never allowed himself the indulgence of considering meeting, let alone becoming…whatever they are. 

Boyfriend, is what Alex called himself two days ago, making Henry scream into his pillow for 10 minutes straight. Relationship, is what Henry had said a few weeks ago when playing into Alex’s banter. Clear, concise words that have never been shot down by the other party. 

And yet. 

Henry’s stomach threatens to spill as he imagines Alex laughing at Henry’s utterance of either of these words out loud. 

Henry has to close his eyes and take a deep breath as he thinks about the possibilities. 

The awful possibilities of everything going wrong. 

Alex saying he just wants something casual, that this is just a fling that helped distract him from his summer boredom before school starts. 

Or worse, Alex wanting to be with Henry, at first, and then changing his mind once he sees what Henry’s like in real life. How his shyness and his standoffish attitude isn’t just some cute quirk he turns up to charm people. How his anxiety and depression can ruin friendships—have ruined friendships, in the past.  How they can ruin whatever was promised between them. 

It takes a few minutes for Henry to realise how lost in his thoughts he was, for him to not notice his own body going into autopilot, picking up his luggage and rolling it through the gates until he reached the main airport lobby, open to all passengers and guests. 

Dozens of strangers moving in all different directions flood his vision.

He should have guessed it would take him less than five seconds to spot him. 

He had received a text from Alex prior to his flight, confirming his arrival time and reminding Henry what he’ll be wearing— a white shirt and green flannel with beige khakis. 

What he didn’t mention is the blinding grin, wide enough to resemble an excited little kid as he swings his entire arm side to side to grab Henry’s attention. He’s on his tippy toes, as if the 6’2” height he bears would in any way prohibit him from seeing Henry, or vice versa. 

He’s alone, as he texted him before, since June had a few meetings lined up that day. They will meet her later for dinner. And as much as Henry adores the woman, he’s very glad she’s not here to witness the absolute mortifying conclusion settle upon his being as he stares across the lobby at Alex, that this is the man he wants to spend the rest of his life with. 

Alex lowers his arm once Henry smiles at him and quickens his steps to approach. His smile remains, his hands clasping behind his back while he rocks on his heels, like he’s too excited to stay still just for one second. 

Henry tries to act cool about the way he has to slightly look up at Alex once he’s close enough. The butterflies in his stomach say otherwise. 

He tries to remain calm as Alex softens his smile and tucks his upper lip between his teeth, eyes twinkling down at Henry with excitement. 

“Hi,” Alex says tenderly. 

“Hi,” Henry breathes. 

The hustle and bustle of the airport around them fades as they stand in front of each other. Henry takes this moment to look over Alex. The wrinkles next to his eyes as he smiles, of which he’s only been able to see through a pixelated screen before, are so so so beautiful in real life. To be able to reach over and trace over every single one, to kiss them as they deepen with affection, is all Henry has ever wanted to do since the moment he first saw Alex smile back at him. 

Henry’s heart pounds when the wrinkles become accompanied by a blush on Alex’s cheeks as Henry continues to stare up at him, not saying a word.

Henry’s gaze lowers a few centimetres to watch as the smile on Alex’s lips softens more, to something resembling…bashfulness. He can’t fathom the idea of making somebody this confident, this sure of himself, this radiantly beautiful, feel bashful. 

Alex clears his throat. 

“How was your flight?” He asks. 

“Long,” Henry replies, eyes straying down to the chain around Alex’s neck. It dips behind his white shirt and obscures Henry’s view of the key settled against his chest. His mind flickers through the countless memories of late night video calls, heavy breaths and whimpers escaping his mouth as he would fixate on the expansive skin Alex would present to him through his phone screen, the key rising and falling against his chest, following the rhythm of Alex’s own pants and moans. 

Henry’s startled when two hands cup his cheeks and tilts his head back up to face Alex’s. 

“Stop,” Alex groans out lightly and squeezes his eyes shut. Henry can feel his own cheeks heat up against the coolness of Alex’s palms, no doubt turning a light shade of red at the first touch from the man of his dreams. Alex opens his eyes again and scowls down at him. 

“What…” Henry hesitates, eyes searching Alex’s, “do I need to stop?” 

Alex lightly squeezes Henry’s right cheek, eyebrows furrowed. “Stop making me feel like the shy one.” 

Henry knows the blush on his face deepens from the increase in body heat that follows. 

“I’m not…doing it on purpose?” He says cluelessly. 

Alex huffs before letting his hands drop down enough to wrap around Henry’s shoulders, pulling him into a tight hug. Henry feels his palms sweat as he places them against Alex’s clothed back, pressing him closer. Alex’s curls tickle against Henry’s neck as he buries his head into the crook and inhales deeply. 

Henry’s sure he smells like aeroplane snacks and recycled oxygen—and all the other artificially weird odours that permeate an airport. He doesn’t think Alex minds though, since he buries his face impossibly further and lets out a soft hum, the exhale of his nose giving rise to goosebumps on Henry’s skin.  

There’s a moment where Henry anticipates Alex teasingly commenting on how insanely hard Henry’s heart is beating against his chest. It’s pushed aside as Alex tilts his head up and quietly mumbles into Henry’s ear, “I want to kiss you but you promised Pez not to break any public decency laws.” 

This is what gets Henry to finally let go of all his worry. 

His body slumps into Alex’s and he lets his forehead thunk down on Alex’s shoulder. He grumbles into his flannel. 

“Of course, Pez told you about that.” 

He can feel Alex’s snicker against him and he doesn’t hesitate to pinch his lower back. Alex presses into the playful touch. 

“Okay, well technically he told Bea, who told June, who told Nora, who then told me.” 

Henry groans dramatically and pulls away. 

His hands still wrapped around Alex’s waist, Henry runs his eyes over Alex’s face once more before he shakes his head and sighs. 

“We’re never going to have a moment just to ourselves, are we?” Henry asks. 

Alex’s smile brightens. Henry’s heart aches for him. 

“Is that such a bad thing?” Alex shrugs. His hand reaches up to trace Henry’s eyebrow with a finger. “They brought me to you.” 

They did. 

And now, they’re here. In New York, together, for less than a week. 

And Henry…doesn’t feel scared about what comes after this anymore. Isn’t terrified about going back home and returning to phone calls and text messages. He knows now that this is far from over. 

Alex is the first to pull away completely, taking a few steps back as he reaches for Henry’s luggage to bring it beside him. He extends his hand for Henry to take. 

A playful expression shines across his face as he stares at Henry, a look of complete assurance. A man who saw what he wanted and knows he’s getting it. 

There’s no use fighting the smile Henry returns. A smile filled with hope—with trust that wherever he’s led, he’ll go with bliss. 

He places his hand in Alex’s and nods. 

“Lead the way.” 

 

Chapter 7: wanting your summer skin pressed on mine

Chapter Text

June’s having a great time:

 

 

 

 

They’re too busy kissing and holding hands irl to form a proper text conversation:

 




June’s never rooming on the same floor as Alex ever again: 

 


Alex’s best 4 days of his life, compiled into a photo album: 

 

 

Henry made one too: 

 

 


(bonus: alex’s IG close friends)

 

  

  

 

goodbye New York (hello to the rest of their life together):




 

Chapter 8: my boy, my boy, my boy

Notes:

hi, thank you all for reading! hope you enjoyed this as much as I did (:

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Henry’s considering a new venture:

 

 

finally, in the end, Henry makes an instagram account:

 

 

 

Notes:

lmk what you think!!

Notes:

follow me on Twitter :D

I read every single Twitter response and ao3 comment to get inspiration for the next part so pls go crazy