Work Text:
Henry likes riding the tube. Subway… he's in New York, it's called the subway.
A poster catches his eye. A pair of men’s hands are prominently featured, covered in lathered soap with an industrial sink catching the water running from the metal tap. It’s a NHS advert for washing hands.
The way the model’s hands are posed is quite… attractive. Large tan hands with perfectly manicured blunt nails. Dark hair lightly sprinkled at the wrists becomes beautifully thick forearms. His fingers are interlaced and one hand in tightly gripping the other. It’s bringing images to Henry’s mind of his own pale hand interlaced with the tan hand's tight grip.
The fingers are long and his hands look strong. Henry’s also sees the gentleness in them, in the set of three out stretched fingers being gripped.
Christ, he’s got a semi just from an NHS advert. He hopes the warm subway car will cover up his blush. His whole body feels flushed as he thinks about those fingers and… shit! This is his stop!
When he exits the train, the advert is on the platform, the hands are in a different position on this one. The campaign seems to have just come out because it’s everywhere.
The hands are just as attractive and Henry has to physically shake himself and keep moving.
The air is cold on his face when he emerges from the warm underground. He surprised when the cold air doesn't full disrupt the warmth in his gut from the hands.
He loves the way his office at Columbia feels like a time warp in the middle of the bustling city.
He opens his laptop and it immediately dings with a meeting reminder. He's got a mentor meeting with the new visiting Journalism lecturer, June Claremont-Diaz.
She appears in the threshold of his doorway 5 minutes before their scheduled meeting and Henry appreciates her promptness.
Her smile is disarming and Henry feels instantly comfortable in her presence.
“My parents are politicians and it was an uphill battle in journalism,” June shares with him as they chat over a pot of earl gray in his office.
“I see you applied to audit my Austen course?” He asks, happy to have her.
“Yes! Love her books,” June says happily.
“I'd be glad to have you. I also teach a soulmates literature class.”
“That sounds great! I love reading about people finding their bond!” She says, excitedly. “My soulmate was actually dating my brother when we met!” She laughs and he smiles.
“A bit awkward?” Henry laughs.
“They’d decided to be friends by the time he introduced her to me so it wasn’t that bad.” June and Henry talk about Austen and then the curriculum for the Soulmate course.
“I want the students to really understand the themes of obligation, responsibility, societal expectations, and struggling against fate that these authors convey.”
“You sound like my brother, Dr Fox.” She chuckles, “skeptical of soulmates?”
“No, no, parents were the ideal of soulmates,” he waves off, “it’s good to get perspectives of those who were not so lucky.”
The end of his first day back at work from break was long. Henry feels satisfied and exhausted from his day. He lets his mind wander as he stares at the NHS poster with the beautiful hands.
The next week ramps up from friendly meetings to sheer panic to get all the required paperwork done. He should be working on his phone during his commute; but he stares at a pair of strong, wet hands glistening off the subway wall.
He's sure that he's lost all sanity when he finds faint freckles that map the constellation Orion. The hands from the advert are seeping into his subconscious.
He has notes to transcribe and plenty of work he can do on his phone. He has a book he could be reading.
But everyday, there and back, he’s building a world with those hands. He feels like an idiot for letting the siren song of a picture of a man’s hands take up this much of his brain.
The next week, he decides to write down his feelings about the hands as he stares at them. Maybe it will inspire his next book or paper.
Once safely back in his office, he reads it back, it’s nonsense. He sighs and looks skyward, "I've lost the plot."
“Hi Dr. Fox!” June says as she sits down in front of his desk.
“Please call me Henry,” he breaks from his stupor. “Tea?” He moves to the electric kettle.
“Yes, thank you,” she says happily.
He opens a box of Jaffa cakes and takes the entire sleeve with him to the desk.
“Jaffa cake?” He asks.
“Um, sure,” she says, very unsure.
“It’s a biscuit,” Henry hedges, “well, sort of.”
“But it’s a cake?” She bites into the biscuit, “Oh! It’s quite sweet.”
“Yes, my weakness.”
“Make sure to brush your teeth after, these things will give you a cavity faster than the bullet train.” She says with a folksiness that he finds delightful.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he smiles at her and she blushes.
“Anyway,” she says as he hands her a cuppa, “I came to ask you a favor”
"Ask away," He smiles.
”Do you have plans this evening?” She asks sweetly.
“I am planning to go the lecture at Deutsches Haus.”
“Is that Dr. Srivastava’s lecture and panel on Science of Soulmates tonight?” She asks hopefully.
“It is,” he eyes her as he sips from his own mug.
“I invited my brother, Alex, to the panel tonight,” explains, “but I just found out I have a meeting with my writing partner tonight.”
“And they can’t move it for you?” Henry asks, mildly concerned.
“No, they are quite insistent that we need one more review before sending in the draft," she tells him. "Of course, deadline is tomorrow morning."
“Ah yes,” Henry nods "I am a stickler for deadlines myself.”
“Right,” June huffs, “I knew you would understand!”
“Would you go with Alex to the panel?” June finally gets out. “It will likely be very popular and there’s no way they’d let him in without a student or a faculty member with him.” She rushes out.
“I’m not sure this is entirely appropriate,” he says as he sits behind his desk.
June smiles and he realizes he must be blushing.
“You’re going anyway, right? He could meet you here at 5, before you head over and just walk with you,” June says, carefully.
“I suppose,” Henry concedes her logical but…
“Oh! Thank you, Henry!” She says happily, “He is such a pain when he’s disappointed!”
She begins to type in her phone.
“Perfect! He’ll meet you here,” she starts typing again, “and I made him promise not to bother you with a million questions.”
“Oh,” Henry tries to think of a reason to protest but his mouth is dry and he has nothing.
“You are my hero!” June looks and sounds so relived that Henry doesn’t have the heart to correct her. “His name is Alex if I didn’t mention it!”
Henry should have asked June more questions about her brother.
He can handle this. He just has to make pleasant conversation for a short walk to the lecture hall.
He goes to his happy place as he takes 5 minutes to himself. He turns his office chair to his office window full of mid morning sunshine. He places his hands on his knees. He closes his eyes and exhales through his mouth. He takes a deep breath in through his nose.
Perfectly clean, blunt nails covered in soap bubbles trail down his bare chest. The glistening hands attached to strong forearms with dark hair. The freckles on the right hand is darling in the shape of Orion; and the vein near it is strong and prominent. Henry has memorized every slope and shadow of the strong hands.
Henry imagines himself bare and in a romantic bath. The huge tub fits them both easily. Bubble bath conceals their legs.
A warm chest cradles his back and runs his perfect hands down Henry’s pale chest.
A knock at the door interrupts his peaceful meditation.
“Let’s do lunch, Hazza!” Pez swans into the office and throws him dramatically in his chair.
“Only if you’ll give me some current event topics to make small talk with,” Henry stands and grabs his gray tweed overcoat.
He looks up to see his best mate’s green beaded coat shining even in the dim office. Pez's face immediately goes from plaintive to feral interest.
“Intrigue!” Pez hops up and follows Henry out.
Falafel is Henry’s best idea ever. In true Pezzmanian fashion, he looks up both June and Alex Claremont-Diaz on his phone. He promptly declares June to be his goddess future spouse. His next declaration, Alex will make Henry his husband and worshiper with a single bat of his eyelashes.
It is all very dramatic for a man who teaches economics.
Henry rolls his eyes, “I’m not a repressed undergrad any longer. I can interact with attractive men without falling over myself.”
“Would you like to see what you are up against?” Pez asks, winking at him mischievously.
Henry debates, knowing and spiraling or not knowing, looking it up later and spiraling longer.
“Let’s see him then,” Henry huffs.
He is a beautiful man. He’s in green scrubs and a surgeon’s cap. Halloween perhaps? He’s truly one of the most attractive men Henry’s ever seen.
Henry can handle a 10 minute walk with the man. He’s in control of himself.
“He’s very handsome,” Henry says and knows he’s speaking a half truth that very second.
“Haz,” Pez says, disbelieving.
“Magnetic,” Henry whispers.
Pez smiles wolfishly, “Single bat of his eyelashes and you’re toast.”
“Oh come off it,” Henry scoffs and this causes Pez to laugh at his own antics uproariously.
Henry doesn’t spend the rest of the afternoon thinking about June’s magnetic brother. He doesn’t. His afternoon class is engaging. But more distracting is the tooth ache that started after lunch.
He knows he has pain killers in his office somewhere. He’ll pop some paracetamol before he heads to Shaan’s event.
He walks up to his office after class and sees someone in the chair next to his office. It’s an attractive silhouette but the figure is hunched over their phone typing furiously.
“Can I help you?” Henry says as he unlocks his office. The man’s scent wafts to Henry’s nostrils. He whips his curls and turns his head to look up.
Christ.
He blinks up at Henry. For a moment, neither man speaks. Henry searches his brain for any-fucking-thing to say. He has a bloody Ph.D in words!
“Santal 33?” Is what comes out of Henry’s mouth. The man’s face morphs into an amused grin, eyes glowing and eyelashes… batting? He’s lost the plot. Abort mission.
“Yeah,” his voice is deep and sends a shiver through Henry. There's a glimmer of mischief in his eyes that Henry wants to explore.
“You have good taste,” Henry says and rushes through his office door.
June’s brother, he’s put that together by now, walks into the office after him.
Henry stands behind his desk.
“Sorry to bug you, I’m early,” he stands and Henry is, in fact, fucked, “I’m Alex.”
He extends his hand with the ease of a man completely comfortable in his own skin.
Henry’s body is moving on autopilot learned from too many mind-numbing faculty soirées. When Alex’s hand slots in his, it feels like a lock clicking in place. His heart flutters. His pulse races. His brain logs back on and he meets whiskey and honey eyes. Fucking eyelashes.
“Sorry?” Alex asks with an amused grin.
“Nice to meet you,” Henry coughs to try to cover up the nonsense that apparently slipped from his mouth. He pulls his hand from the too-long handshake.
"I was nervous about meeting you," Alex says, charming and confident. "June speaks so highly of you."
Henry smiles and he hope his nerves don't show through. "She's brilliant, truly," Henry shuffles around his desk drawers. His tooth doesn't really hurt anymore but now he needs something to distract him.
"She really is," Alex says as he follows Henry deeper into the small office.
"And what about you?" Henry tries as he looks through his bottom drawer.
"More of a politics and science kind smart," Alex says with an easy smile, "Dental surgeon."
"Explains the scrubs," Henry says off hand, for some bloody reason.
"What?" Henry sees him look down like he forgot to change. He is dressed in a very tight black long sleeve Henley and dark jeans. He looks like a fucking wet dream.
"Shall we?" Henry pops too many of the paracetamol he finally finds.
Alex has on a brown leather jacket that is cut perfectly for him. He's holding Henry's coat up for him to slip on.
Henry approaches the man. He gets so close to him and slips one arm into the sleeve. He swears he hears him breath him in when he turns to slip the other arm into coat. Alex's hands run down his arms before he steps back. The intimacy of the moment is bliss.
What made you want to see this particular panel?" Henry asks as he locks the office door.
"June's obsession with soulmates in books," Alex shrugs, "wanted to take an interest."
"Brother brownie points?" Henry teases.
Alex huffs a laugh, "Yeah."
"You must have done something you need her forgiveness for," Henry says, smiling. "I'm only interested in the autoharp when I'm about to tell my sister something stupid I've done."
"Ugh!" Alex groans, "Don't make me feel so perceived."
Henry chuckles. He's not going to ask about whatever the thing is.
"I helped our mom out with this project," Alex shrugs. "It was a one time thing and she probably won't care because school is so busy. I think I was really just trying to spend time with her."
Henry's heart is cracking open for this man.
"Things will calm down," Henry's hand travels unbidden and lands on Alex's shoulder as they walk.
Alex's sigh sounds heavy but maybe a little less than earlier.
"You're right" Alex smiles again, "now that I've said it out loud, I feel way better." He looks over and stops walking. Henry does too. "Thank you, Henry." He's so close now and Henry feels pulled into his orbit.
"Dr. Fox?" A voice comes from behind him. He turns and his smile immediately leaves him.
"Do my eyes deceive me or that the Fantastic Dr. Fox at a school event?" His hateful ex says with a plastic smile. He must be giving away his discomfort because Alex moves to his side. It feels protective. Nice.
"Andrew," Henry can acknowledge the man's existence. Henry doesn't feel anything but annoyance at his appearance. Months ago he would have felt so many more emotions. Time does heal quite a lot.
"And who's your new body guard?" Andrew turns his attention to Alex. Oh, Andrew is trying to be charming. Gross.
"I'm Alex," he turns on a smile that Henry hadn't seen yet, "here to see Henry." His name from Alex's mouth makes his heart flutter. Alex sticks out his hand for Andrew to shake. He does and Henry looks at their linked hands.
There's something by so familiar about Alex.
"Well, lucky Henry then," Andrew says, flirting with Alex right after being told he's not available. Classic.
"I think I'm the lucky one," Alex slips his hands around Henry's waist. Henry goes easily into the Adonis' arms, his own arm going around his shoulder and the other bracing himself on his chest. Henry's sure his blush can be seen from space.
"Hm, looks like you've thawed," Andrew says, meanly and Henry wants the ground to open and swallow him.
Henry is saved by Alex leaning into Henry's ear, "I think we'll be even warmer inside," he says low and sweet. Henry smiles shyly and nods. Alex swoops him into his side and around toward the entrance. There was some noise coming from Andrew's direction but Henry misses it completely.
Alex stays plastered to his side as they enter and Henry scans his faculty ID. "Lead the way, sweetheart," Alex says in his ear, nose nuzzling behind his lobe just a little. He's also moved his hands to squeeze Henry's waist beneath his coat.
"You seem to be a distraction to entire student body," Henry has no idea where this is coming from but he doesn't actually care in this moment.
"Is it ok that I only want to distract you?" Alex asks,his voice genuine and sweet.
"Yes," Henry gulps, "yes it is." He steps confidently and leads Alex to the seats in the back.
"C'mon, love," Henry smiles and Alex laughs as he's pulled along.
"Is this ok?" Alex asks before sitting down. The seats are tight together, they will definitely be touching.
"More than," Henry smiles and is rewarded by the brilliance of Alex Claremont-Diaz's smile.
Henry shrugs off his coat and Alex does the same. He feels Alex drape his arm on the back of Henry's chair. He allows himself to lean into the warm.
He's the worst person for hitting on his new friend's brother, right? Except… they're roughly the same age… and Alex isn't his student.
Alex's denim clad legs aren't bouncing per se but they seem to be always in motion. It reminds Henry of sailing. The way water is never really still. Alex has crossed his legs towards Henry and it makes him feel wanted and safe.
"Welcome to the Science of Soulmates," Shaan Srivastava says through a microphone. He is seated is a semicirle with four other speakers. A rug beneath them with a low table for their coffee mugs. There's a large screen beside them with a presentation cued up.
Shaan introduces himself and his collegues. Henry wishes he could pay better attention. But he's very distracted. Alex's right hand is in his lap and Henry desperately wants to reach out to hold it.
Henry hears snippets of the lecture.
"Subjects impulse control was diminished when it came to their mate. This is seen as a evolutionary…"
"Subjects report attraction felt instantaneous, although sometimes the intensity caused confusion."
"The swelling of the pituitary gland on first meeting increases the olfactory senses but can diminsh equilibrium and concentration,"
Alex's hand is right there for Henry to reach out and touch.
Fuck it. Henry could hold the man's hand, it's not like he's going down on him in the royal box. Although, that sounds like good fun.
Alex's hands are so lovely. He smells so good.
Alex's head has turned towards him as well. His mouth is so close.
Orion.
Alex's hands have the same pattern of freckles.
"Your hand," Henry says and seems to wake Alex from whatever was happening.
"Christ," Henry realizes all at once that he's been lusting after Alex's hands on the subway everyday for weeks.
"What's wrong?" Alex says, breathey and concerned.
"Your hands," Henry stands and immediately heads to the exit.
"Henry? Wait!" Alex is following him and he has to get out of here.
He's out on the street when he realizes he left his coat. Shit!
"Henry!" Alex rushes out with their coats. "What's wrong?" Alex asks as Henry grabs his coat from the man.
"Henry! Stop!" Alex grabs his arm, "Please! I think we're soulmates!"
Henry grabs either side of Alex's face, pulls him into a fierce kiss. He gasps at the sensation of Alex's hands on his waist. Alex's lips are warm and home. An unexplainable array of feeling flash through his mind.
The quiet loneliness he's felt for so much of his life, obliterated and gone forever. Family dinners and lively evenings full of laughter and love. Family harmony that lived so deep in his heart emerging again after years buried. A whole new life burst around them as Henry allowed Alex to deepen the kiss and pull him closer.
But then the shame makes its last stand. Oh Christ. He has been lusting after a man's hand pictured on the subway and now he's… He's a deviant, he should be locked away.
He pushes himself from Alex's grasp and away from the beautiful man that he will just… Oh wait… no… being away from him feels wrong. Henry doesn't feel the shame he expects to wallow in for the rest of his life in pure embarrassment. He's known Alex an hour and already knows that he will find it hilarious and flattering. How can he know this already?
Suddenly and all at once something wrenches him from Alex's grip and the ground comes into his field of view. His whole body slams into the ground and mostly painfully, his jaw. Right on that bloody tooth from earlier.
"Henry!" Alex is on the ground next to him and has him sitting up.
"Ow," Henry's hand goes to his face.
"What hurts baby?" Alex asks and pulls Henry up but fully supporting him.
"Everything," Henry scoffs, "I had a toothache earlier and I think I aggravated it," Henry guesses and feels Alex moving him from the sidewalk.
"I have an office nearby," Alex tells him. Henry registers that they are moving and Alex is putting him into a car.
Henry looks up at him, "Office?"
"I'm a dental surgeon," Alex says, brushes a reassuring finger down his cheek. Henry leans against Alex's shoulder, "You'll be alright, baby," Alex whispers.
They get out of the car and Alex shuffles him into a building. Henry doesn't make out the sign on the door but he is shuffled into an office and then a smaller room.
Henry looks around and finds that it's an exam room painted in happy bright colors.
"Henry," Alex says and Henry snaps back to the present, "I called a friend to come help me check you over. She'll be here in a minute but I need to check out that tooth first."
Henry is struck by a thought, but Alex's hands… Ow!!
"Henry, baby, are you with me?" Alex asks.
"Yes," Henry nods, "please."
He's laid back and a bright light is in his eyes. He opens his mouth wide and closes his eyes.
Gloved hands meet his lips and cold tools.
"It doesn't look like you broke anything, just a cavity," Alex says as he sits back on the rolling stool.
"Alex," a female voice says, sharp but not unkind.
"Zee! Thanks for coming!" Alex gets up and Henry's chair moves to a sitting position.
"A fucking scooter clipped his coat and he hit the ground hard, nothing looks broken," Alex explains, "need you to check the rest of him."
"Got it," she says, "Quick question, are you fucking high right now?"
"What? No!" Alex says defensively.
"Your pupils are the size of manhole covers!" she says and Henry blushes.
"Oh yeah," Alex rubs the back of his neck, "he's my soulmate."
"You can't operate on your soulmate, dumbass," she says accusingly.
"It's just a filling, Zee," Alex whines and Henry chuckles but then winces in pain.
"Please tell me he's at least signed consent forms," she asks.
Alex pulls an tablet out of nowhere, "Was waiting for you so you can present them."
"Jesus Christ," she rolls her eyes and snatches the tablet and sits on the rolling stool.
"Hi Henry," Dr. Zahra Bankston says when she comes into his field of view.
"Zahra," he greets her with surprise.
"Shaan will be worried when you don't say hello after the panel, can I fill him in?" She asks and he nods.
Alex makes some sputtering confused noises behind Zahra. She waves him off and continues on.
She asks him some questions and makes him follow a pen with his eye but he keeps drifting back to the beautiful man leaning against the counter next to him. The concern rolling off of him.
She explains that he needs x-rays of his jaw to make sure nothing is broken.
"Are you comfortable with Dr. Claremont-Diaz doing to procedure?" She asks him. He looks up at Alex who looks bashful. Henry reaches up and takes his hand. Oh god, his hands…
"Yes," Henry says when the pain kicks back in.
"You're in good condition otherwise, will take a few days of water and pain reliever for the fall," she explains. She turns to Alex, "I'm assuming you're going to watch after him?" Alex nods and Henry should protest but… ow!
"You bet your ass, I'm not letting him out of my sight," Alex says as he stares into Henry's eyes. Henry feels giddy.
There's shuffling around of machinery and a heavy apron laid on his for the x-rays.
"Ok Henry, do you need to text anyone before we start?" Alex asks.
Henry nods and texts Pez. He doesn't want to worry his sister.
There's machines and x-rays taken. Then there's a drill but it's all over very quickly.
By the time Henry is being sat back up in the chair, there's a knock on the exam room door.
"Hazza, darling," Percy says gently but with all his usual mirth. His hair is bright blue today.
"Alex," Henry reaches his hand out.
"I'm here, baby," Alex's hand slides into his own.
"Orion," Henry traces the freckles on Alex's hand, "On the subway."
"What is it, darling?" Pez asks.
"I wanked to his subway hands," Henry explains.
Laughter fills the space, "What?" both men ask.
Henry doesn't bother responding, he just buries his burning face in his hands.
"I cannot believe I just said that out loud!" Henry groans and Pez is still cackling.
"It's the soulmate thing, your filter is at its lowest," Alex smiles kindly.
"Soulmate, huh?" Pez smiles at them, "Welcome to the family, Alexander."
The next day, Henry wakes bed warm and fuzzy.
It's Alex under the blankets with him. He's bare except his briefs. Lacoste. Hot.
Henry's heart bursts with the feeling of happy family and home all over again.
"Darling," Henry urges and this rouses Alex.
"Sweetheart?" Alex is a little panicked at first.
"I'm fine," Henry pulls on his hand, "come here."
Henry rests the good side of his face against his chest.
"I'm gonna date you so hard, baby," Alex whispers into his hair, "gonna wine and dine my soulmate."
"That sounds perfect, love."
"Did you really jerk off to the NHS poster of my hands?" Alex asks and amusement lights up his voice.
"No idea what you're on about, dear," Henry feigns. "Your hands are on an NHS poster?"
"Yup," Alex chuckles, "just a favor for my mom. She got the cabinet post last year."
"You'll have to show me these alleged posters sometime," Henry shrugs and Alex kisses into his hair.
"Admit it," Alex teases, "You're a slut for my soapy, wet fingers."
Henry shivers with a flood of desire, "Behave, I'm convalescing," Henry chides as he kisses the man's chest.
"And I'm going to take the best care of you, baby," Alex kisses his lips so gently. Henry feels so sure as he links his fingers between the fingers he's been lusting after. Sure of soulmates and sure of Alex.
It's written in the stars after all.