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"You would do good to remember that you are a Mountcristen-Windsor first, and a Fox second."
Henry remembered the words well. His grandmother had called him into her office that day and it was the first thing she said.
"Your personal frivolous desires come second to the crown. That is the way it has been, and the way it will be. Do you understand?"
He had nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
~•~
“Henry…are you awake?” Alex stage whispered in bed from his position behind the man.
“No.” Henry deadpanned. Alex snickered as Henry turned to face him. “My question, is how are you awake? I thought I was the insomniac in our relationship.”
“Well…I guess I’m coming for your title.”
“Hm, yeah in more ways than one.”
“Oh, fuck off your majesty.” Alex swatted at Henry, who laughed in response.
Alex loved Henry's laugh; it was one of the few times he was able to see the man truly look free.
Alex, honestly, just loved Henry.
Which was why the next thing out of his mouth was entirely unsurprising.
"We should get married."
Henry arched an eyebrow at him. "Bit late on the suggestion for that one, love." He lifted his hand, brandishing his signet ring next to an engagement ring.
"No, well yes but— we should get married now. Like tomorrow, I think we'd be murdered if we got married by an Elvis impersonator in Vegas." Alex propped himself up on one arm.
"Are you suggesting we elope?"
"Yeah, why not? We know we want to get married, and I…don't want to wait anymore. I think we should just do it right now."
"Alex…" Henry began, and Alex knew— hated— that tone. It was the tone he used when he was about to try and placate Alex about his royal duties. "You know I'd love to…but the crown—"
"We can still do their stupid shit! A wedding isn't a marriage. You still have to sign all the legal paperwork to be considered married. And that's what I want with you. We don't need the massive party with far too many guests and a far too expensive cake for us to crash into—"
"Our own cake?
"Why not? Pay homage to how it all began. But my point is, I don't want to wait anymore. I want to be Mr. Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz-Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor."
"Christ, our names are bloody long."
"And you can be Mr—"
"Alex—" Henry tries to interrupt, fondly.
"Henry George Edward James Claremont-Diaz-Fox—" Alex was cut off with a kiss.
"Love, I've already said yes to marrying you."
"So…"
Henry sighed. "Gran is going to have my head for this."
"She doesn't need to know."
"Christ, you are a horrible influence."
He could tell what Henry's deflection of the actual question meant. "We don't have to baby, it was just an idea."
Alex was pulled suddenly into Henry's chest by a tight hug.
"Baby?" Alex asked, mouth squished against Henry's chest. He certainly was not complaining.
"I would love nothing more than to marry you in a intimate ceremony." Henry's voice was thick with emotion.
Alex forced his way back slightly. "Yeah?"
"They have already taken so much from us. We haven't had hardly anything that was just between you and I. It's terrifying, but…"
"Worth it?" Alex's voice wavered.
"Very."
~•~
Despite how ready he had been the night before, when they arrived at the venue Zahra had picked out, Henry felt his anxiety rising. He played with the rings on his hand as he stepped out of the car. Alex grabbed his arm.
They would be marrying in a small room with a large window, giving them a view of the lake behind the building. Pez and Nora had agreed to be their witnesses, with June and Bea demanding to recieve video of the ceremony. The officiant was already waiting for them, and when Henry saw he stopped in his tracks. Was he really about to do this? Go against the mountains of protocol around the royal wedding?
Alex turned around, worry in his eyes.
"Babe?" He asked. Henry couldn't respond; he couldn't breathe. He didn't realize Alex had pushed everyone ahead and taken them to a bathroom until hands were on his shoulders. "Take a deep breath Hen."
Henry shook his head, hard, twirling the rings on his fingers. He can't do this. He isn't allowed. There are protocols in place, and his family—
"Baby." Alex covered his hands, forcing them to still. "I need you to breathe."
The name always made it through to Henry; Alex knew that, and he smiled softly as Henry took a stuttering breath in.
"Bloody hell." Henry muttered, leaning down into Alex's shoulder and composing himself.
"You back with me?" Alex's voice was soft, and it made Henry want to marry him and simultaneously run away somehow. He settled on nodding, squeezing Alex's waist.
"Thank you." Alex pulled him up into a soft kiss. When they parted, he felt tears wiped away, and Alex adjusted his suit before stepping back.
Henry walked over to the sinks, splashing water on his face. He could see Alex against the wall behind him through the mirror.
"Only you could look this good after a panic attack."
Henry scoffed. "That's coming from the man who I could have ravished covered in cake."
Alex smiled back at him, but it didn't reach his eyes. Henry knew he needed to say something, but none of the words could come out. He settled on:
"I'm sorry."
"For having a panic attack? Hen, it's not your first, I knew what I signed up for." Alex tried to joke.
"You know what I mean, Alex." Alex didn't respond for a while, and Henry lowered his head, keeping it down until he heard the other man speak.
"If you don't want to do this right now, we don't have to."
Henry felt horrible. He refused to look up at Alex, because he knew the look on his face would bring him to tears.
"I do want to marry you today. I'd love nothing more than to get married like this. I don't want to do the blasted ceremonies. And I meant what I said last night, it is very much worth going behind Grans back. It's just—"
"You're terrified of the backlash?" Alex guessed. He nodded.
"Your personal frivolous desires come second to the crown. That is the way it has been, and the way it will be."
"Oh, fuck her." Alex said, as if reading his mind. He walked to Henry, looking him directly in the eyes. "You are a grown man. You don't need her approval for anything. You getting married does not affect the crown in any way. You aren't the heir. So if she gives you shit, tell her that, and tell her to fuck off."
Henry snorted. "I think I'd give her a heart attack if I said those words to her."
"Well…"
"I need you to tell me that it's okay." Henry said after a moment of silence. "That I'm allowed to do this." He felt like a child, asking his fiancé for approval like that.
Alex, the angel he was, didn't even blink. "You can do this. It's okay. You're allowed to just be Henry, and do things for Henry. Crown be damned."
"You would do good to remember that you are a Mountcristen-Windsor first, and a Fox second."
"I'm a Mountcristen-Windsor first, and a Fox second." He repeated those words under his breath, trying to dispel them, when Alex spoke up again.
"You are Henry first."
He met Alex's eyes, and the look he recieved was so earnest it nearly made him cry. Henry pulled him in, hugging him tightly.
"Thank you darling." He whispered.
"Anytime, baby."
"Now," Henry pulled back. "Let's go get married."