Chapter Text
Henry walked down the long path slowly, his cane thumping along beside him. He'd made this trek every Saturday for the past three years and it had never gotten easier. When he reached the end of the path and the grave to the right, he sat on the bench next to the stone.
The cemetery was always quiet this far out from the main area. Henry and his Alex had chosen this spot specifically for that reason. They didn't want random people they never knew sitting by their graves as if they had known each other.
Henry gazed at the grave marker for probably the billionth time. Even after three years, it didn't feel right that his Alex was truly gone.
The inscription was simple, but no less heartfelt:
Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz-Fox
Beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend
He will live on in all our hearts and memories
At the bottom, small enough that no one would notice it unless thy knew it was there, was another sentence.
History, huh? I bet we could make some
Henry traced the letters with a shaky hand, tears forming in his eyes as they land on the wedding ring he would never take off. "Oh, Alex. Even after all these years O remember how you looked on the day we met. You were so beautiful. I thought it was so unfair that someone could look that good without even trying. I wonder... if I hadn't been such a prick to you that first time, if we'd had a little more time. If we could have said how we felt sooner and had more years to ourselves."
He smiled, remembering the wedding and soon after the early years of raising their daughter Emma.
~~flashback~~
"Henry, you look gorgeous, you don't need to fuss with your already perfect hair, you'll just mess it up. No come on, or you'll be late to your own wedding!"
Henry, who had indeed been messing with his hair, rushed to place his arms by his side before Bea came into the room. Her face softened when she saw the anxious look on his face. "Oh, Hen, you know Alex loves you. Why are you so nervous?"
"I guess... I guess I'm still waiting for him to realize that I'm not worth it," he said in a small voice.
Bea's face hardened at that. "Henry George Edward James Fox-Montchristen-Windsor. Alex stormed Kensington Palace for you, beaved the media storm with you when you were outed, and proposed to you at the end of one of his speeches. I'm pretty sure that means he thinks you're worth it, and he's not going to give up on you now."
Henry's face had blanched at the use of his full name, and then proceeded to flush with embarrassment at the reminders of what he and Alex had been through together. "I know all that, but some things just won't stay out of my head, no matter how much proof againt them I find."
Bea's eyes held so much sympathy he wasn't sure which of them would cry first. Apparently Bea had a similar thought. "Okay, enough of this doubting. We need to hurry up and get out there otherwise Alex will come and break down the door."
Henry nodded and turned back to the mirror one last time, taking himself in. He wore a classic black tux with a yellow rose inn the chest pocket and the yellow rose tie from when Alex's mum had won the reelection for president. He smiled, the memory giving him confidence as he turned and nodded to Bea.
"I'm ready."
~~really tiny time skip~~
Henry had never seen anything as beautiful as Alex in the moment they locked eyes from across the aisle. He was wearing a pale yellow tux lined with black, which accented his tan complexion perfectly. He wore no tie, preferring instead to leave the top two buttons undone. Henry's mouth went dry.
Alex smirked, seeing the exact moment Henry noticed the buttons.
That little bastard. That's not fair.
Bea tugged on his arm, and Henry realized he had stopped in the middle of walking to stare at Alex. He started walking again,, probably too fast based on the pianist speeding up the music and Bea's snickers. Pez was already up there, as was Liam-one of Alex's mates and best man- and the officiator. But all Henry could see was Alex.
Their eyes remained locked the whole time: when Bea left them at the altar, when the officiator- Paul? he can't remember- began droning on about "mawage" and "twue wove", until Paul asked, "Do you have your vows?"
Alex broke eye contact to get the paper from his pocket. He unfolded it slowly and carefully, as if he didn't want to risk ripping it. He cleared his throat and began.
"Henry, I have loved you since I met you, even though I didn't know it at the time. I almost wish you had kissed me earlier so we could have had more time together, before everything went down. But it's okay, because we got here eventually.
"I love you, Henry. I love you more than I can say, and and I know these vows don't exactly meet my usual standards of speeches, but I didn't know gow to adequately express my deep and unending love for you.
"I love all your little quirks, the little wrinkle that forms between your brows, and the way you laugh exasperatedly whenever I say something stupid. I love you more than any word in the dictionary can ever describe, and I'm so glad I'll be able to spend the rest of my life with you. Because this is forever. I'm never letting you go, and you'll never get rid of me. I love you."
By this time both men are crying, along with Liam and Pez and a majority of the close friends and family assembled. Henry smiled at Alex through his tears, which the other man reciprocated.
Henry reached into his own pocket and took out the paper that was supposed to have his vows on it. He had spent weeks agonizing over what to say, scrapping so many versions he probably killed a whole tree by himself. Bea eventually got tired of this and told him to 'just speak from the heart.'
"I don't actually have anything written on this paper, I don't know why I bothered to take it out." This earned laughs from the crowd and a wet chuckle from Alex. Henry handed the paper to Pez and instead took Alex's hands in his own.
"You've always been better at freewheeling things, but I might as well give it a go as I've nothing to read off of." Another round of laughs.
"Alex, I have loved you from the moment I met you at 18, and I did know it. I figured I had no chance with you, because you're everything and I'm... me." Alex squeezed his hands, bringing new tears to both their eyes.
"I wish we'd had more time, too. But we still made it here, and I'm so lucky to say, in front of everyone, that I love you, Alexander Gabriele Claremont-Diaz.
"I love the way you can never stop talking, even about the most random things. I love how much you care about the work you do, helping others the best way you can. I love that you're willing to put up with everything that comes with being married to me. I know this is forever. I know I'll never lose you. You'll never lose me either. I'll always be right here, by your side, with whatever you need.
"You once said, 'history, huh? I bet we could make some.' But the truth is, I hadn't wanted us to make history. I wanted us to be us because that's who we wanted to be, and we've been able to do that. I love you so much."
Tears were streaming down everyone's faces, especially Ellen, Bea, June, Nora, and Catherrine. All of them had their arms wrapped around each other, with Leo and Oscar keeping them mostly upright. The officiator wiped his eyes and took a breath. "If any be opposed, speak now or forever hold your peace."
All the girls turned and glared at everyone behind them, daring them to stand and fade the combined female power of America and England. Not surprisingly, no one stood. "Very well. Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz, do you take this man to be your husband?"
"Yes." Alex's smile lit the whole room as he said the most important word in his never-ending string of words.
Henry George Edward James Fox-Montchristen-Windsor, do you take this man to be your husband?"
"I don't." Henry's voice was slightly warbly because of how much he was crying.
"By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husbands. You may now kiss your love."
Alex met Henry in the middle for a kiss that was better than all the ones they'd had before.
They were married.