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“I think I have officially changed my mind on my preferred group Halloween activity.”
Alex grins over at Henry, who is staring at the tall stalks of corn around them with a look that he typically reserves for iced sweet tea and American sports.
“Oh, yeah? Would you prefer to be covered in fucking pumpkin guts right now and listening to Nora berate a plastic knife?”
Henry grimaces. “Perhaps.”
“Too late!” Nora smacks playfully at Henry’s hip as she walks by. “Tickets are paid for and the only escape from the evening’s festivities is, in fact, the sweet release of death.”
“And for those so inclined,” Bea says, handing the two tickets in her hand to Alex and Henry. “We have brought the proper resurrection materials, though we have no bloody clue how to use them.”
“That’s fucking terrifying,” June replies, narrowing her eyes as she grabs Nora’s hand. “But I also have a Ouija board in the trunk, so we do have all of our bases covered.”
“So, what I’m gathering is—”
Pez interrupts Henry, his grin wicked. “You’re not getting out of this, Haz.”
“Last one to finish the maze is a traitor to their country!” Nora announces, walking backward toward the entrance.
Henry quirks an eyebrow at her. “Of origin or of residence?”
Nora tosses her head back and cackles. “For you, Doctor Who? Both.”
“Okay, but who do you suppose first proposed the idea of going through passages made of corn for entertainment?” Pez asks as he loops an arm through Bea's elbow.
She says something, but they've gotten far enough away that Alex can't hear her response.
Alex shakes his head as everyone disappears into the opening of the maze, the sound of their overlapping voices fading. He loves them all—really, he does—but he originally invited Henry, and only Henry, to pick a fall-themed activity for them to do on a date.
Or, at least, Alex thought it was going to be a date.
Henry didn’t think so, evidently. He invited everyone else in their friend group within twenty-four hours of Alex asking him out.
Trying to ask him out.
Fuck, Alex used to be better at this.
Something about Henry, who got dropped into Alex’s life by June a little more than a year ago, has him completely off of his game. Alex has been flustered by him since the moment they met, unable to form complete sentences in front of the most beautiful man he’s ever seen.
So maybe Alex didn’t use the word date when he asked, not explicitly.
He thought it was fucking implied, though.
So either Alex is incapable of basic human conversation, or Henry is incapable of picking up on obvious hints.
There’s a third option Alex is trying not to ruminate on: that Henry invited everyone else because he was too nice to tell Alex no and he wanted the group to counteract the possibility that tonight could be a date.
It’s just. Well, Alex is pretty fucking sure Henry likes him, too.
He has a list of reasons to support his theory.
One, Henry definitely seems like he’s flirting back when Alex teases him.
Two, Henry always blushes when Alex calls him sweetheart or baby.
Three, Henry smiles at him differently than he does toward everyone else, and Alex has Nora—perceptive, analytical, and nosey-as-hell Nora—to back him up on that one.
A miscommunication seems like the most likely explanation.
Alex really hopes it was just shitty communication.
“Well.” Alex turns to Henry, gesturing toward the entrance of the corn maze. “Shall we, baby?”
Henry’s cheeks flush pink, right on cue. “Lead the way, love.”
— — —
“Didn’t we already travel down this path?”
“Did we? I’m so fucking bad with directions and remembering where we’ve gone. I thought we turned left the first time we passed this scarecrow.”
“I’m not entirely certain this is the same scarecrow.”
“The fuck do you mean it’s not the same scarecrow?”
“Alex, I swear to God, if you have us lost inside of a bloody corn maze...”
“We are not lost,” Alex says. “I just… don’t know where we are. Or where we’re going.”
Henry scoffs. “Is that not the exact definition of being lost?”
Alex reaches out to grab Henry’s hand—a test to see his response—and tugs him along as he chooses a direction that he’s pretty sure they haven’t gone down yet.
Henry follows, and he doesn’t let go of Alex’s hand.
They walk along in silence for a moment. If Alex really listens, there is a distant buzz of voices somewhere to their right. A gentle breeze blows through the corn stalks, making the sound of rustling leaves echo around them. The glow of the setting sun behind them is casting shadows on the ground that continue to dim with every moment that passes.
“This is… spooky,” Henry says, so quietly that Alex almost doesn’t hear him.
“Spooky,” Alex repeats, glancing around skeptically. “Really?”
“Are you not creeped out by…” Henry motions broadly with his unconfined hand. “... all of this?”
Alex squeezes Henry’s palm reflexively. “It’s not even dark yet.”
“It’s dark.” Henry rolls his eyes at Alex’s barely concealed smirk. “Ish.”
Alex has to pull his bottom lip between his teeth to stop himself from laughing too obnoxiously.
Fuck, he really likes him.
He might be in fucking love with him.
It’s bubbling almost violently inside his chest, like if he doesn’t find a way to express it soon, it’s going to overflow and spill uncontrollably out of his mouth. There’s also a very real possibility that it’ll be accompanied by Alex doing something embarrassing or stupid.
Or, knowing his luck, both.
Henry's head whips around at a sound over their shoulders, his eyes as wide as saucers. He’s clinging tightly to Alex’s hand now, though Alex wonders if it’s for comfort more than him actually wanting to maintain the contact.
“Did you hear that?”
“Can’t hear anything over you trembling in your fucking boots.”
“I’m not wearing any—oh. You’re a goddamn menace.”
Some of the tension has waned from Henry’s shoulders, though, his mild exasperation with Alex overshadowing any fear he actually has.
So Alex has to keep it going.
“Right. Now, genuine question here, because the people are dying to know.” Alex pauses, holding up an invisible microphone with his free hand. “Are you secretly afraid of the outdoors?”
Henry shoves his hand away. “Bugger off.”
Alex giggles as they start walking again. “You just need to not think about the tall, scary corn. Vegetation can't hurt you unless you let it, Henry.”
“I bloody hate you.”
But there's color spreading on Henry's cheeks, and he's still holding Alex's hand.
In a quick rush of bravery, Alex says, “I don't think you do.”
Henry raises a teasing eyebrow. “And you're certain of this?”
“Pretty sure, yeah.”
“I'd like to see your evidence.”
“I'll make you a fucking PowerPoint presentation.” Alex knocks their elbows together, lowering his tone and leaning close. “If we make it out alive.”
Henry's smile finally spreads across his face as he rolls his eyes. It feels gentle and affectionate, and Alex stops their movement with a tug on Henry's fingers.
Henry’s brow knits together on his forehead. “What is it?”
Alex's heart is in his throat. “I think I can prove it.”
“Prove what?”
“That you don’t hate me.”
“Oh?” Henry grins, like this is a game. “Can you?”
“If you're not thinking about the scary corn—”
“I am not frightened of a damned vegetable.”
“—then you won’t be freaked out by it. You just need a distraction.”
Henry sighs. “And I assume you have a brilliant suggestion.”
“I do.”
“Well?” Henry shifts, lifting one shoulder. “I’m all ears.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Alex pulls his hand loose, shaking out his fingers by his sides.
“God, I hope I'm not wrong,” Alex says, mostly to himself.
And then he kisses Henry.
There’s a moment, with their mouths crushed together and Alex’s hands framing Henry’s cheeks, when Henry is frozen. His lips part, a strangled sound breaking the quiet around them.
He doesn’t kiss back, and Alex thinks that he’s fucked up.
But then Henry’s mouth moves against his, fingertips trailing faintly up Alex’s side. Alex angles his head, his grip on Henry’s jaw tightening as their kiss deepens. Cold air brushes Alex’s lips for only a moment as they both breathe, and then Henry is there again, his tongue slipping into Alex’s mouth.
He fucking knew it.
“I told you so,” Alex breathes, smiling against Henry’s lips.
“I think I’ve forgotten what we were talking about.”
Alex bumps their noses. “Still scared?”
“Absolutely terrified,” Henry whispers, his exhale shaky. “Why did you do that?”
“I like you.”
“You like me?”
Alex chuckles, trailing his thumb over Henry’s cheek. “I wanted this to be a date, you know. Then, you invited literally everyone else that we fucking know.”
“I—” Henry shakes his head. “A date?”
“A date. You’re aware of the custom, right?”
“Apparently not aware enough,” Henry says, his cheeks pink. “Bea is going to bloody kill me.”
“Why?”
“She told me that this was… you asking me out, and I—I was so convinced that it couldn’t be true.” Henry’s hand flexes on Alex’s waist as he looks up toward the darkening sky. “I was so nervous about it being just us and not a date that I invited everyone else as a security blanket, I suppose. I didn’t trust myself to be alone with you and not make a mess of things.”
“No, Bea’s right,” Alex tells him. “I want to date the shit out of you, and I thought it was mutual.”
“It was. It is,” Henry says, laughing incredulously. “Christ, I’m so sorry. I ruined our first date.”
“Not ruined,” Alex reassures him, dropping a quick peck on Henry’s mouth. “We still have all night, and we don’t even have to stay here with the spooky corn. We can go somewhere else.”
“Alexander Claremont-Diaz,” Henry whispers, and Alex feels a thrill rush up his spine at the way his name sounds on Henry’s lips. “Are you suggesting that we ditch our friends here amongst this horror trap of a maze?”
Alex shrugs one shoulder. “Maybe.”
Henry hums. “Well, one problem.”
“What’s that?”
“We have to get out first, love.”
“Or… hear me out: we could hide in the corn and keep making out.”
“I’m not entirely convinced that there aren’t nefarious individuals or entities hiding within the stalks.”
“Fair point.” Alex glances around them. “We could make out here?”
“I may be amenable to that suggestion,” Henry says.
“Do you think, for once in your life, you could talk like you didn’t walk out of a fucking British romcom?”
Henry grins. “What would be the fun in that?”
He leans down to kiss Alex again, tugging his body closer. Henry’s lips are warm and soft, and Alex is dizzy and fucking elated at the way the night is panning out. There is part of him that wonders how much convincing it would take to drag Henry off of the main path, if Henry could somehow stay quiet while Alex gets the knees of his jeans covered in dirt.
Alex bets he could get Henry to cave.
Strategies are already forming in his brain.
And then there’s a loud, horrific screech just over his shoulder.
They both jump, Henry yelping as he rips his mouth away from Alex. Alex turns without letting Henry go, and a grinning Nora is sticking her head out of a row of corn.
“We found the exit and became concerned about your general well-being when you fucking disappeared,” she says casually, eyes bright and clearly thrilled. “I’m gonna go tell them that you’re fine.”
“I’m not now, you bloody demon,” Henry grits out, his heart racing beneath Alex’s palm. “You scared the piss out of me.”
Alex smirks. “Turns out, he’s scared of vegetables.”
Nora tilts her head. “So, if I were to start comparing Alex’s dick to various produce—”
“Nora, for Christ’s sake.”
“Oh, the phobia is that bad, huh?”
“Terminal, probably.” Alex sighs theatrically. “But I’ll love him through it.”
“I’m not marrying you out of pity when he dies,” Nora deadpans. “Now, can we go? June wants milkshakes.”
They follow Nora to the exit, and Henry reaches over to take Alex’s hand.
“You’ll love me through it, eh?”
“Oh.” Alex blinks, his mouth suddenly dry. “Yeah, I guess I did say that.”
“Generous, to love me in my condition.”
Alex can feel his cheeks heating. “Yeah, well. It’s not that much of a hardship.”
Henry squeezes Alex’s palm. “Perhaps the feeling is mutual.”
“Even in my condition?” Alex glances over at him. “Sources say I’m a pain in the ass.”
“Sources are right!” Nora calls from in front of them.
“Well,” Henry says, pausing their footsteps to press a sweet kiss to Alex’s lips. “I suppose I’ll love you through it.”
“Found them,” Nora tells the group as they exit the maze. “They were getting freaky in the corn.”
“Ew,” June says, grimacing.
Pez’s jaw drops. “And you interrupted them? Bad form, love.”
“We were not—” Henry tries, but everyone is talking over them already, excited chattering and a few “I told you so”s being tossed their way. “We won’t ever live this down, will we?”
“It’s already written into my best man speech,” Nora says, winking at them. “Amongst other things that will remain undisclosed until the moment arrives.”
Henry fucking shudders. “Now, that is spooky.”