Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Henry set up a morning coffee date to prepare Alex ahead of time a few days ago so when Alex got up that morning he knew the plan. He got up and dressed for his normal run, taking David with him for his morning walk.

Henry meanwhile turned their bathroom into a spa with a warm bubble bath, warm towels , and even a calming diffuser going. Henry had no idea how, but it’s like David has a 6th since for these things. He or Alex can draw a bath for each other and David doesn’t so much as twitch in his sleep. But one touch of the tap for a bath for him and he knows and hides for hours and even Alex offering him freshly cooked bacon will not lure him out of whatever impossible corner he has wedged himself into. Henry has the highest marks possible from Oxford and and Alex has two degrees form equally world renowned schools they should be able to out wit one naughty beagle who doesn’t like bath time, but who also has never met a mud puddle he wasn’t fond of rolling in.

Henry gets a text from Alex as he is approaching their door he scans the room and double checks that their closet was secured closed, he had alex's law books blocking David from getting under their bed in case of escape. He was ready. He meets Alex just as he’s entering the brownstone.

David knows.

He starts to bolt at top speed and thank got for Alex lacrosse skills as Alex is fast enough to note that he’s about to slip his collar and scoops him up into his arms … muscles that can easily lift Henry at ten times the beagle's weight strained to their limit to contain the dog safely up the Stairs. Henry moves behind Alex securing their bedroom door and the bathroom door for good measure. Alex tries to gently lower the fleeing dog into the tub but in an abrupt change in strategy David even without thumbs for proper grip clings to Alex for dear life causing Alex to lose balance and end up half submerged in the tub with david. Henry suppressed his giggle at the look Alex gave him when he popped up out of the water with dog shampoo bubbles in his hair. He clearly underestimated or didn’t believe that sweet little David could be this bad for a bath.

David begins to howl loudly seconds later as Henry coats him with very expensive dog shampoo. Alex soaking wet and halfway in the tub is still fighting to hold David still as he fights like a wild boar while Alex cusses in Spanish. Henry just about has David fully soaped up when time stops.

Cash flings opens their bathroom door swinging it almost off the hinges looking for a threat … the momentary distraction is more than enough for a fully soap coated beagle to jump out of the tub and bolt past cash. Cash turns to chase the monster as he quickly deduces that screams of panic were caused by one dramatic beagle and not Henry or Alex. Cash’s hulking form is rounding their living room wall when Amy opens the back garden door and cash’s boot hits a puddle of soapy water left behind by the dog and crashes painfully into the floor as a soaking wet and bubble covered Alex and Henry enter the fray behind him just as David slides between Amy’s legs despite her efforts to catch him . David finds the first patch of dirt and fully coated in soap rolls in it creating a soapy muddy mess.

For the next little while Alex and Henry help patch up cash, he’s fine, just sore. Amy helps clean up the trail of soap left behind because she doesn’t need Henry or Alex breaking their necks on her watch and Henry gets a text from shaan that he’s booked a groomer and is having a driver sent over.

Once one muddy beagle is secured in the car the driver had already coated it in blankets to keep it clean. They arrive haggled and looking worse for wear at the dog spa. David greated Kimberly the groomer with a welcoming kiss, she chuckled a little at Alex and Henry's appearance but didn’t acknowledge she knew how badly they had failed. They wait in the lobby but it’s a small shop and they can both see the groomer at work. She draws David into the bath… he stands and listens like the well trained therapy dog he is. Even offering the groomer his trademark head tilts when she washes his ears. His nails are trimmed while he holds up each paw for the groomer and he smiles happily as she places a bandana on his neck before returning him to two jaw dropped dads.

Chapter Text

Alex felt Henry get out of bed even as he clung to his naked back . He could hear David whining to be let out. Alex opened one eye to determine it was still barely dawn on a Saturday and grumbled at David stealing Henry’s attention as he cuddled Henry’s still warm pillow drifting back to sleep knowing Henry would be back up stairs soon.

“Aaaaaalllleeexxxxxxxxxx” he hears Henry scream in such a way he was running before he even felt his feet hit the floor and almost forgot to grab any clothes but was able to at the last second grab Henry’s robe. He stubbed his toe on the door frame of their bedroom as Henry screamed again. He nearly fell down the steps taking them two and three at a time he finally made it to the back yard even beating Cash who was on duty along with one of Henry’s ppos far closer than he was upstairs in their bedroom. What he saw was Henry on his knees in the grass with David howling in pain as he scooted on the grass.
“I’ll get the car” said Henry’s ppo. Taking off at a brisk trott.
“I’m on the phone with the emergency vet now.” Said Cash.
Henry had put on a pair of sweats to take the dog out but didn’t have on a shirt or shoes. Alex was only in a robe and it was so haphazardly tied he’s not sure he’s fully covered but it’s dark enough and their privacy fence is tall, though cash and Henry’s ppo might have gotten more than they bargained for.
“Stay with him, I’ll get what we need.” Alex said kissing Henry and Henry clung on to his arm as David finally settled in Henry’s lap whining pitifully.
Alex threw on his pair of jeans from yesterday and Henry’s hoodie, grabbing a shirt for Henry. He stuffed his feet in his shoes and grabbed Henry’s sneakers. He helped Henry put on his shoes and held David while Henry quickly pulled the shirt over his head and they were off. Cash confirmed the vet was expecting them and they were 15 minutes out.

When they arrived they were quickly ushered into a back entrance and directly into an examination room.

The vet gently took David from a quietly sobbing Henry to examine the beagle. Henry fell into Alex's arms soaking his hoodie with tears.
David tried to thump his tail and even offered the vet a half hearted lick as Alex explained his behavior in the backyard.
The vet examined David along with a tech who brought Henry a box of tissues.
“Does he get any table scraps or people food… or maybe been digging in the trash?” The vet asked.
Henry shot a mean glare at Alex who looked guiltily at the vet and swallowed the lump in his throat.
“Umm… I normally give him a little something when I’m eating or cooking.” Henry removed himself from Alex's arms and Alex looked hurt.
“Henry baby… it’s not my fault… look at him… he just… I’m a weak man for puppy dog eyes.” Alex says reaching for Henry who crosses his arms at him. Alex without even realizing it gives Henry a pouting face because Henry has never pulled away from his touch and it scares Alex to his core that he’s pulling away. Henry looks at Alex and sighs a huge huff blowing his hair out of eyes and opening his arms up for Alex.
Both the vet and the technician share a look between them and then look at Henry and Alex.
“We will run a few tests to confirm but I believe he’s likely constipated, and with a little bit of medication he will be right as rain in a few hours.” The doctor goes over the few things Alex fed David and scratches his chin.
“While I don’t recommend table food for dogs, I myself am just as guilty. It doesn’t sound like you over fed him so I’m going to recommend that we keep him on a strict diet for two weeks and re-run his blood work then.”
Alex and Henry make their way back home. Alex called his work and let them know he would be working from home today after their ordeal at the vet.
A few hours later Alex is making them lunch.
“Hen…did you move the block of cheese we got at costco?” Alex shouts to the living room at Henry who is snuggled on the sofa with David who promptly jumps off the sofa and goes to his bed looking a bit guilty.
“No darling I didn’t” Henry says, eyeing his notoriously naughty beagle.
“I only used like two slices yesterday for my sandwich. There should be a whole huge block.” Alex mutters to himself moving things around scouring their fridge. Henry walks over to David who flops down and shows Henry his belly looking very guilty as he wags his tail he hears the unmistakable crinkled of cellophane.
“David?” Henry questioned and David only wagged harder as Henry reached into the folds of his dog bed to find the remnants of the family sized block of cheese they had just opened in tatters.
“You better tell Alex you're sorry… he took quite the tongue lashing for you.” Henry told David who just smiled at him with his naughty dog grin telling Henry that David would in fact steal a whole block of cheese again if the opportunity presented itself .
“What did you say baby?” Alex asked over the refrigerator door.
“I found the cheese.” Henry said, walking to the kitchen.
“Turns out David is a thief,” Henry said, holding up the wrapper for Alex.
“Well you always said he was a slytherin.” Alex laughed.