Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

UNKNOWN NUMBER (04:15)
so i know this is probably insane after only one night together, but god, i think i could love you. it’s…. like, tonight was special right? there was a fuckin spark between us, and i’d love to see you again, get to know you properly

UNKNOWN NUMBER (04:19)
sorry i know that’s like, a lot. i can be a lot sometimes, but there’s something telling me i need to send this message tonight, before i can talk myself out of it

UNKNOWN NUMBER (04:21)
i really think this could be the start of something

*****

Henry wakes up at seven-thirty, just like he does every day, to his alarm blaring and David jumping up onto the bed, his nose bumping into whichever body part of Henry’s that he can reach as if to say hurry up Dad, it’s breakfast time! It’s a predictable routine but Henry likes his life that way, likes to keep things ordered and neat, likes the sense of control he feels from starting each day the same way - alarm, David, breakfast, two cups of tea, shower, brush teeth, dress.

Things change after that, but by that point Henry’s brain feels calm enough to face whatever’s pencilled into his diary for the day. A lot of the time it’s simply hours set aside for writing and revisions, but sometimes his life is a circus of book promotion and meetings and other things he feels ill-equipped to handle.

He didn’t choose the life of a writer in order to put himself out there, quite the opposite in fact, but still, life doesn’t always work out how you’d expect.

Or hope.

Today, after breakfast, he has a full day with exactly nothing scheduled - it’s a Sunday after all, and he’s been feeling burnt out for weeks, so Pez convinced him it was a good idea, told him to relax and that they should get dinner this evening. So that’s what Henry’s going to do - he’s going to spend some time in the hot Texan sun reading the rest of the spy novel he started yesterday, and afterwards he’ll take David to the dog park, and then he’s going to eat his body weight in carbs with his best friend.

It’s a great plan, is exactly what he needs, and it gets derailed before he even makes it out of bed.

The messages are unexpected - an unknown number that he doesn’t recognise and awkwardly sweet love declarations that are definitely not meant for him. Immediately he feels bad for whoever sent them - it was obviously important to them that the intended recipient read those words, and here Henry is reading them instead.

He thinks for maybe twenty seconds before replying.

Henry (07:36)
Good morning, I think you have sent these messages to the wrong person. Sweet as they were, I’m certain we didn’t spend the evening together yesterday.

Henry (07:37)
I do hope you’re able to find whoever it is you meant these for.

Henry isn’t really expecting a reply, and lets his day of no work or obligations unfurl before him - makes a pitcher of sweet iced tea and settles out on the deck right as the sun is streaking its way to the highest point in the sky. It’s as he’s reaching the thrilling climax of his book that his phone beeps, vibrating against the little metal table set beside his lounger, and Henry picks it up expecting to see Pez’s name, or maybe Bea’s.

Instead, it’s the stranger from last night.

UNKNOWN NUMBER (11:47)
holy shit, i’m so fucking sorry.

UNKNOWN NUMBER (11:47)
jesus i’m so embarrassed

It makes Henry frown as he reads the words, confused as to why this person would be embarrassed by a simple case of texting the wrong number.

Henry (11:50)
There is really no need to apologise or be embarrassed, as I said, your messages were lovely, I’m only sorry they reached me instead of whoever was meant to receive them.

UNKNOWN NUMBER (11:52)
except i’m pretty sure that was his intention, the guy who gave me this number read it back to me twice to make sure i’d taken it down correctly. so here i am catching feelings whilst he was making damn sure i’d definitely have no way to reach him again

UNKNOWN NUMBER (11:53)
fuck i’m such a fucking idiot

UNKNOWN NUMBER (11:55)
very sorry for interrupting your sunday, thanks for being kind about it

There’s only one person who Henry knows has his number memorised, and the idea of him giving it out to his conquests to make sure they can’t reach him again makes Henry feel sick. To call him an ex would be generous, a two year situationship would be a more accurate summary, one that ended when Henry admitted he wanted it to be more, and Jack had promptly disappeared into the balmy Texas night, never to be seen again.

Henry (12:06)
Can I ask who you were trying to reach? I suspect I already know, and if I’m correct, I sincerely apologise, because I’m afraid any lines he fed you last night, were exactly that - lines.

UNKNOWN NUMBER (12:10)
he told me his name was jack though if he gave me your number, i guess that could’ve been bullshit too

Henry (12:12)
No, he was telling the truth about that bit at least.

Henry (12:13)
I think that may be the only honest thing he shared with you though.

UNKNOWN NUMBER (12:15)
fucking stellar

UNKNOWN NUMBER (12:16)
well, like i said, thanks for being cool. sorry again for interrupting your day. if you see that asshole again, feel free to give him a kick in the balls from me.

It’s clearly an end to the conversation, the mystery person (mystery man, Henry assumes, unless Jack was lying about being gay on top of everything else,) wanting to move on from his one night stand gone wrong, and Henry’s intrigued by him, but he can respect a clear boundary when sees one. So, he sets down his phone and pointedly doesn’t reply, picks up his discarded book and tries hard to focus on the words.

The urgency to finish, to find out how the story ends has diminished now, and Henry forces himself through the final fifty pages with half of his mind still on Jack and the Unknown Guy. It ruins the entire novel honestly, and he’s relieved to finish, to set the book aside when he’s done and stop forcing his brain to do something it doesn’t want to.

He makes lunch afterwards, feeds David and takes him on a long walk. Talks to the women at the dog park who are fast becoming his acquaintances, and then finally dresses for dinner with Percy. The entire time he wonders about the sweet guy with his earnest messages and open heart, and hopes that he isn’t hurting too much.

Over dinner, Pez calls him out immediately.

“Something happened,” he says after kissing each of Henry’s cheeks in turn and pouring them both a glass of wine from the bottle already sitting on the table.

Henry sighs, and tells him everything.

By the end of the story, after Percy has demanded to see the messages, he’s furious in a way that Henry has seldom seen before.

“That guy is a piece of shit,” he says with a disgusted curl of his lip, “he must have really turned on the charm last night for your mystery texter.”

And the awful thing is Henry can imagine it all too well. He’d been so closed off when he met Jack that it took almost two years for him to catch real feelings, but he knows how attentive and endearing he can pretend to be, can picture him talking his way into the other man's pants with a practiced ease, whispering endless sweet nothings and fanning the flames from the spark that he created.

To do all of that knowing you’re going to ghost the guy feels unbearably cruel, and Henry can’t believe he ever fell for someone like that.

“Quite,” Henry agrees, “I can’t stop thinking about the poor bastard falling for his act. Those first few messages were so lovely, and I honestly haven’t been able to shake them from my mind all day.”

Across from him, Percy cuts into his salmon and shrugs, “So text him again. You know for a fact he’s single, and sweet, he’s probably hot too, because despite his many flaws - Jack has excellent taste in men,” he follows that up with a wink and Henry kicks him under the table.

“Don’t be absurd.”

“Seriously Hen, what’s the worst that can happen? He ignores you, or tells you he’s not interested, and you end up in the same position you’re in now.”

Henry doesn’t reply, just tucks into his own food and changes the subject, but still he thinks on Percy’s words for the rest of the night.

He lasts until the next morning before sending another text over his second mug of tea.

Henry (08:08)
Hello again, please excuse my forwardness, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you or the way I’m sure Jack treated you. I just wanted to reach out and check you’re doing okay. I know first hand how much it hurts to be ghosted when you thought there was something special there.

Henry (08:10)
I’m Henry, by the way.

It takes so long for a reply to come that Henry convinces himself there won’t be one.

It’s whatever, and instead of dwelling on it, he channels all of his nervous energy into writing, bashes out three thousand words before lunchtime.

It’s as he’s spreading cream cheese across a bagel that his phone finally chimes, and Henry is only slightly embarrassed by the way his heart rate kicks up immediately.

UNKNOWN NUMBER (12:45)
sorry for taking so long to get back to you, i’ve been tied up with work all morning. but thanks for your message, you’re right it does suck, but shit happens right?

UNKNOWN NUMBER (12:47)
i’m alex, nice to meet ya henry

Henry (12:50)
Nice to meet you too, Alex.

Henry (12:51)
Shit does indeed happen, but at least you found out after the first date. Take it from me, he’s good at putting on an act for much longer than that. I assure you you’re better off without him.

Alex (12:55)
yeah it’s becoming pretty clear i dodged a bullet. sorry for whatever he did to you, and that he’s out here giving your number to randos

Henry (12:57)
You’re actually the first he’s given it to, as far as I’m aware. I’m sure he has a stockpile to rotate through.

Alex (12:59)
good, you seem like a nice guy henry, i’m glad you’ve not got dudes blowing up your phone looking for him

Alex (13:01)
just me dropping L-bombs like a fucking loser lol

Henry (13:03)
Being vulnerable about your feelings doesn’t make you a loser.

Alex (13:04)
why are you being so nice to me?

Henry (13:06)
Perhaps I’m trying to show you that not all men are arseholes.

Alex (13:08)
well thank you, i think that is something i do need to be reminded of actually

*****

Henry tells himself he’ll draw the line at checking in, that he doesn’t need to contact Alex again, and yet, inexplicably, he finds himself flicking over to their text conversation continually over the next few days. He truly has no idea what keeps drawing him back to the other man, but in the end, it’s Alex who reaches out to him.

Alex (14:17)
saw our mutual friend last night, i kicked him in the balls from both of us

It’s so unexpected that Henry can’t help the undignified snort he lets out. The idea of this unknown man seeing Jack and giving him a piece of his mind is so delightful that he abandons any pretense of working and immediately replies.

Henry (14:19)
Oh my god, Alex! I hope he didn’t cause any trouble for you?

Alex (14:20)
didn’t give him a chance lol, said my piece and made a dramatic exit

Alex (14:21)
told him i’d have still fucked him if he’d been honest about only wanting sex, but that he’s a manipulative piece of shit for pretending it was more

Alex (14:23)
told him to forget your number too, hope you don't mind

Henry (14:24)
Not in the slightest. Good for you, Alex.

Henry intends to go back to his work, plans to sit down and put the finishing touches to the chapter he’s working on, but somehow he ends up on the sofa chatting to Alex all afternoon instead. He’s not even a big texter usually, but the conversation flows so easily between them that Henry barely even notices the time passing until Alex mentions he has plans.

Alex (17:05)
hey so this was fun, but i’m getting dinner with my sister in an hour so i really gotta go get ready

Henry (17:07)
Of course, sorry for taking up so much of your time. Enjoy your dinner.

If Henry feels a little stab of disappointment at their afternoon being over, well, no-one needs to know.

Alex (17:08)
there’s nothing to apologise for! like i said i had fun… would you mind if i messaged you again sometime maybe?

Henry (17:10)
I’d like that a lot.

It’s probably too honest, and at least a little embarrassing because of how sincerely he means the words, but Henry feels an unexpected connection to this guy, and that happens so rarely for him that he refuses to stand in his own way. If Alex wants to message him, Henry will reply.

It’s thrilling and exciting in a way Henry isn’t used to honestly, he’s never really tried online dating (not to say that they are dating) but he imagines it probably feels a little like this - the giddy thrill of meeting someone new without the anxiety of putting yourself out there face to face.

Maybe that will come later, Henry truly doesn’t know, but for now he’s going to let himself enjoy the ride.

Later that evening, after a dinner in front of the T.V and a two hour video call with Bea, Henry feels compelled to pull out his journal for the first time in a long time. It’s a habit he developed in the wake of his father’s death - the physical act of putting his feelings down on paper always makes him feel a little less burdened, but he doesn’t do it so often these days. It’s usually only after a big event, or a day of big emotions that he feels the urge.

Today shouldn’t be one of those days, but Henry gave up questioning the way his brain and heart works a long time ago, and instead he simply submits to the impulse, grabs his favourite pen and settles at his writing desk.

Friday 10th June 2025

It feels a little ironic that the last thing to compel me to dig out this journal was the aftermath of everything that happened with Jack, and now, somehow, it’s him, albeit indirectly, that has me coming back to write today.

For the purposes of my future self reading this - today was the day with Alex’s messages, the one where you abandoned all your work plans to sit and text for three hours straight about everything and nothing. Today was also the day where you thought ‘I really like this person’ for the first time since Jack disappeared like a ghost into the night. It’s silly, and will quite possibly lead nowhere beyond some flirty and fun text messages, and yet it still feels important enough to commit the words to this page.

So, here they are, Future Henry.

It’s summer, you’re working on your sixth novel, you have a quiet but happy life, are somehow already thirty-eight, and quite unexpectedly, you’ve met a man. Met is possibly pushing the boundaries of what this actually is, but talking and bantering with him today gave you butterflies for the first time in a long, long time.

You have no idea what he looks like or how old he is or what he does for a living, but you know he’s funny and brave and has a wide open heart. You know he isn’t afraid to call people out when they’re wrong (he kicked Jack in the balls!) and that he never bothers with capital letters when he texts. You know that if you’re honest with yourself, you’ve been drawn to him since the first moment you read those messages from an unknown number in the watery sunlight on a lazy Sunday morning.

You also know that you’re probably not brave enough to make any kind of a move beyond responding to the messages he sends, so you’re hoping that if this continues, he can be brave enough for the two of you. You think if he’s actually interested in anything more than a weird pen-pal type friendship then he probably is brave enough to do that - but I suppose only time will tell.

Maybe there will never be another entry in here that mentions him, or maybe the next one will be more in depth - will be full to the brim with details that I don’t know about him yet. It feels exciting to find out - like this could either be nothing, or it will be everything.

All I know right now is that it makes a pleasant change to be excited about the thought of meeting someone new, someone who isn’t just a one night stand whose name and face you will barely remember in the morning. Whatever this does turn out to be, I already know it could never be that.

*****

That weekend Henry has plans to hangout with Percy again before he heads back to London for six weeks. He isn’t based in Austin permanently, so whenever he’s in town for an extended period, they’re intentional about making the most of it. On Saturday they’re planning to go to the farmers market, and on Sunday they have brunch reservations. It’s a pretty low-key itinerary for Pez, but Henry’s glad of it. He’s too old to be tagging along on the wild nights out that Pez prefers like he used to when they were younger.

Henry outgrew that shit in his late-twenties, but he suspects Pez will always be the life and soul of every party he attends, no matter how old they get.

It’s as they’re pulling up to the farmers market, after Percy quizzes him relentlessly about his hot mystery texter, when Alex reaches out again, and Henry doesn’t try to deny the way his heart speeds up just from seeing the notification light up his lockscreen.

Alex (11:25)
any fun plans today?

It’s the most casual text he’s received so far, a conversation starter just for the sake of it, and Henry responds by snapping a picture of the market’s sign as he and Percy walk by it, sends it over to Alex with a weird flutter in his stomach.

Henry (11:27)
I’m not sure if this is everyone's idea of a good time, but it’s certainly mine.

Alex (11:28)
funny you should say that…

Another picture follows in return, and it’s the same sign Henry just sent, only stamped onto a white paper bag. The kind that they hand out when you buy produce from the vendors. Henry feels a flood of adrenaline rush through him, like he’s going to turn around and Alex will be standing right there, despite the way he has no fucking idea what the other man looks like. Thankfully Percy is too distracted by flirting with a cute stall owner selling local honey to notice the way Henry's posture changes, and how he’s immediately texting Alex back.

Henry (11:29)
You’re here???

Alex (11:31)
unfortunately not, i was there this morning but i’m back home now… why? would you have hunted me down?

Henry’s heart jumps up into his throat from just the thought, and honestly, he probably wouldn’t have - but if Alex had asked if they could meet up? He knows with certainty the answer would’ve been yes. And it shouldn’t be a surprise that Alex lives close by - Henry had assumed he was in Austin because Jack lives here too, so it’s not a huge leap to assume they maybe frequent the same places. But still, regardless of the logic - it feels huge.

Henry (11:32)
Bit difficult to do when I have no idea what you look like.

Alex (11:33)
you’ve never asked

Henry (11:34)
Neither have you.

It’s a valid point, but Henry is distracted from waiting for the reply with bated breath by Percy finally dragging his attention away from the pretty girl with the honey stall.

“A pleasure and a delight to meet you, June,” he says with an exaggerated air kiss, and then nudging Henry’s shoulder with his own he asks, “What is happening with your face right now?”

“Nothing,” Henry replies, even as he feels it flush a deeper shade of pink when his phone vibrates in his hand. He doesn’t look down, but Pez notices regardless.

“Oh my god, it’s him isn't it?”

“Yeah,” Henry admits, relenting, “He was here, this morning.”

“Let’s go and find him immediately!” Percy says, almost yanking Henry’s shoulder out of its socket.

“Was! Pez, he was here. As in, he’s not anymore.”

“So what does that message say?” He replies, nodding down at Henry’s phone where Alex’s name is lighting up the screen.

When Henry opens it, his stomach swoops.

Alex (11:36)
well, now ya do

The selfie attached is ridiculous - Alex smiling and throwing up a peace sign, his eyes mostly closed and his hair hidden beneath a blue baseball cap, but regardless, Henry can see how beautiful he is. The long line of his neck leading to a sharp jawline, his lips pink and, even though he knows he shouldn’t be thinking it, so bloody kissable.

Percy peers over his shoulder, and then punches Henry in the arm.

“I told you that wanker had excellent taste in men,” he says, smug, and Henry has no fucking idea how to respond to either Pez or Alex.

He’s saved from doing either by another message flashing up on his still open text thread.

Alex (11:40)
okay i took that just now and i look like a dork, pls disregard it. this is much cuter

Alex is wrong about looking like a dork in the first picture, but he’s definitely not wrong about the second one being cuter. He’s crouched down and feeding two dogs, his hair free from the cap and it’s dark and gorgeous, his smile wider so his perfect white teeth are on display too. But it’s his arms that have Henry ready to explode out of his skin, thick and hairy and tanned, and looking like something right out of every fantasy Henry has ever had.

“Shit,” Pez comments, then, “text him back you idiot.”

Henry doesn’t give himself time to think, just lets his fingers type exactly what he’s thinking.

Henry (11:42)
You’re beautiful in both of them.

Alex (11:43)
aw shucks, you’re gonna make me blush

Henry is almost certain that isn’t true, and even though he’s expecting the next message, it doesn't make his palms sweat any less.

Alex (11:44)
gonna send me one of you, sweetheart?

It’s. It’s so obviously flirty, more explicitly than they’ve been up to this point, and Henry is many things, but he’s not an idiot. A gorgeous man is flirting with him, and he’s not going to shut that down, even if all the pictures stored on his phone feel vastly inferior to the two that he just received.

Of course Pez has his own thoughts on the situation, tells Henry, “You look hot today, let me take a picture of you right now to send!”

And that's a lovely sentiment, except Henry looks hot in the literal sense - sweating under the warm summer sun, and flushed mess is not the vibe he’s going for.

“Absolutely not,” He tells Percy, “I have a cute one with David from when Bea came to visit in the spring, that will do just fine, thanks.”

Henry (11:46)
I guess it’s only fair to introduce you to David, since you included your two friends.

Alex (11:47)
you cheat, you’re not even looking at the camera!!

Alex (11:48)
but for the record, you’re beautiful too

*****

The rest of the weekend is filled with Pez telling him, repeatedly, that he needs to ask Alex on a date, that he’s hot and single and that Henry deserves to have some fun, and the thing is, Henry agrees with it all.

Alex is hot. And clearly single. And Henry wants to have a lot more than just some fun with him.

And that’s the problem. They barely know each other, have sent each other maybe a couple hundred texts over the span of two weeks, and this man already has Henry all tied up in knots. This isn’t how Henry usually operates, he normally takes things slow and steady, gradually warms up to people before he lets any feelings get involved. Yet here he is, feeling out of his depth and desperate to know every single thing about Alex, wanting to see every picture of him saved in the other man’s camera roll, even though he suspects it could never be enough.

In the end, after a tipsy brunch with Percy, he decides to throw caution to the wind and listen to his mimosa filled gut. Puts himself out there in a way he rarely has before.

Henry (13:12)
Forgive me for being so forward, and I will absolutely understand if the answer is no, but since we didn’t manage to bump into one another at the farmers market yesterday, how would you feel about us maybe going together next weekend instead?

He feels like it walks the line of being a low pressure proposal, whilst also very clearly being a request to go on a date, and Henry anxiously taps his fingers against his knees whilst he awaits Alex’s reply.

He’s back in his house now, having said goodbye to Pez for the foreseeable future, and he’s pretty sure a date with Alex would be the perfect distraction from that. He’s also pretty sure that a date with Alex might ruin him for all other men, forever, but it’s a chance he’s willing to take. A chance he deserves to take - he was so cautious with Jack afterall, and it still blew up in his face, so he figures there’s no point trying to predict the future. Might as well throw caution to the wind and try to enjoy the present instead.

It’s easier said than done, but Henry’s proud of himself for making the first move, even if Alex turns him down.

Which he might be doing, because a full hour passes without a reply.

Henry, antsy with nervous energy, goes out into the garden and throws a ball around for David, and then spends half an hour watering the plants that border the lawn - they’re all low maintenance, things that just regrow each year, but in the hottest months of the summer when rain showers are few and far between, he does make a point to dig out the hose and feed them as often as he remembers.

Afterwards, he’s sweaty and fully sober again, decides that a shower is probably a good idea. It works as another distraction if nothing else, and when Henry emerges fifteen minutes later, scrubbed clean and dressed in casual shorts and a plain white t-shirt, his phone finally chimes with a text on the coffee table.

He tries to manage his own expectations, and fails miserably. Except, when he taps his thumb against the screen, it’s Alex’s name staring back at him.

Alex (15:15)
omg henry i’m so sorry! i was tied up with work unexpectedly and have only now seen your message

Alex (15:16)
but yes, absolutely i would love that

Alex (15:17)
my sister actually has a stall there and i usually help her set up on saturday mornings if i’m free so i’ll be there from 8

Alex (15:18)
let me know what time is good for you and i’ll meet you by the sign that you sent me a pic of yesterday?

It feels too easy to simply agree, but Henry does - quickly and enthusiastically, and then Alex asks him how brunch was, and they pick up their easy conversation like they haven’t just agreed to a date in six days time.

It’s more of the same the next day, and the one after that, and on and on for the rest of the week, as Henry slowly learns more and more about Alex. Finds out he’s the youngest of two kids, that he was born and bred in Texas, but lived in New York for a few years for college. Came home because he missed the people and the sun and his sister. That his parents divorced when he was a teenager and he was pretty fucked up by that for a while.

In turn, Henry spills his guts about the death of his dad and moving to the States on a whim with Percy for college, running away from the deafening silence left behind from losing his father. He’d been in New York too, but much to his utter shock and mortification, it turns out he was there over an entire decade before Alex.

He realises it when Alex mentions graduating four years ago, and it takes every ounce of Henry’s courage to admit the age gap between them. A full twelve years which makes Henry feel, perhaps a little dramatically, like a creepy old man.

It’s not something he’s ever really had to deal with before, always dating guys within his own age range, or in the past, slightly older than himself.

You’re being ridiculous, Alex tells him, when he admits to feeling caught off guard by it.

Alex (19:25)
it’s not like i’m some kid and you’re a dirty old man. i’m a grown ass adult, and so are you

It helps, a little, but Henry would be lying if he didn’t admit it continues to play on his mind. Not enough to back out of their date or to pull away from the constant back and forth of their messages, but just enough to make him feel on edge, to convince himself that the date will be a disaster and that it’ll be the end of this thing between them before it’s even really begun.

On Friday night, he still sends Alex a text to confirm they’re definitely still on for meeting the next day.

Henry (22:53)
Is the plan still 9:30 at the market entrance?

Alex (22:55)
damn right, i’ll be the hot mexican dude wearing the t-shirt with a bee on the front

The way Henry’s heart slams inside his chest tells him he’s almost certainly in over his head with this guy, but he’s equally sure this could be the start of the adventure of a lifetime.

*****

Getting ready for a date at the farmers market shouldn’t be stressful, Henry is a man in his late-thirties, he’s been on dozens of dates throughout his life, and never once has he put this much effort into deciding between casual or tailored shorts, a short sleeve button down or polo shirt, sandals or trainers. It’s more than a little pathetic, but at least he’s self aware enough to realise that, and when he eventually decides on a more casual outfit, he still isn’t entirely satisfied, but he’s run out of time and doesn’t have the option to change again.

He contemplates bringing along David too, a nice buffer if things get awkward, but in the end he decides against it - David is getting older and he’s a lazy boy, he doesn’t love being out in the sun for hours or surrounded by crowds, so Henry figures he’ll have to be enough all on his own.

And then, before he can quite fathom it, Henry is parking a block over from the market and making his way towards the sign where Alex said he’ll be waiting for him.

He’s easy to spot, even from a hundred feet away, leaning against the wooden post that the huge sign is mounted on, his thick, brown arms crossed over his chest and as Henry gets closer he realises that Alex is in a vest, not a t-shirt, and he’s going to be confronted with the bulge of his biceps for however long this date lasts.

Immediately his mouth goes dry, and he sincerely worries he might just lean over and bite into the muscles before he even manages to say hello.

When he’s ten feet away, Alex notices him too and smiles, white and blinding and beautiful, and yeah, Henry is fucking screwed.

“Henry!” he calls, waving like he might have missed him, and Henry knows he should play it cool, that he should smile and greet Alex back like a normal person, but his brain won’t listen, and instead what comes out of his mouth is “You said you’d be wearing a t-shirt…”

Alex looks down at himself, then back up at Henry’s flushed face and replies with a shrug, “Eh, it was a t-shirt, once upon a time,” and Henry is going to die. This hot American man with his beautiful body and dumb tank top that has a massive bumble bee in the middle and says to bee or not to bee, that is the question is going to actually kill him.

“Big Hamlet fan?” he asks, trying to regain some of his composure, and it makes Alex throw his head back and laugh, his long neck exposed to the sun and glowing golden.

“Oh yeah, huge. Can’t get enough of old Willy Shakes.”

Henry chokes, an awkward noise that is half laugh, half shock as he takes in this ridiculous man in front of him, “You did not just call the greatest writer of all time Willy Shakes.”

Alex flushes, and bites his lip, “I did, sorry, I say dumb shit when I’m nervous.”

And Henry can empathise with that after his opening line to this conversation.

“Clearly I do too. Let’s try again shall we?” Henry steps forward, almost entirely in Alex’s personal space and smiles at him, “Hello Alex, it’s lovely to finally meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” Alex replies, “I’m gonna give you a hug now.”

He gives Henry a second to refuse or pull away, and when he obviously does neither of those things, Alex reaches out to pull him into a warm embrace, those thick, gorgeous arms wrapping around Henry’s shoulders easily. It’s a good hug, and Henry holds on for maybe a second longer than is strictly necessary.

“Have you eaten yet?” Alex asks when they eventually pull back, his dark curls poking out from beneath the brim of a deep green baseball cap.

“No,” Henry admits, “Unless you count two cups of tea as breakfast?”

“Absolutely not,” Alex replies, “Come on, there’s a stall here that does the best breakfast burritos, my dad would scoff at their authenticity, but they’re fucking good regardless.”

Henry can’t comment on how authentic the burritos are, but Alex is correct about them being delicious, and as they sit there together on a wooden picnic table and tuck into the thick, spicy tortillas, Henry can’t remember the last time he enjoyed a breakfast so much. It definitely has more to do with the company than the food, and Henry is relieved to find that their easy banter over text translates seamlessly into real life. Alex is warm and funny and chatty, and Henry can feel himself easily falling under his spell.

They talk about the market and how long Alex has been coming (since he was a child) and they talk about food, about the best Mexican spots in the city that Henry absolutely has to try. It’s as they’re having these conversations that Henry realises there’s actually a lot about Alex that he doesn’t know.

Things he hasn’t told Alex about himself, too.

“So, it feels a little silly not to have asked this before now, but what is it that you do for work?”

Alex hums, like it’s a difficult question, then says, “There isn’t just one answer to that.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I guess my career, or what I want my career to be, is an actor. In reality though, I do a bit of everything between paid acting jobs - I help my sister out here at the stall, I tutor too, and my friend Nora has a bar that I bartend at.”

And Henry isn’t sure what he was expecting Alex to say, but actor certainly isn’t it.

“What acting jobs have you done?”

Alex shrugs, “A couple of amateur plays, one professional touring production for a year, a lot of work as an extra in sit-coms and crime shows. I’m a real pro and being unnamed guy number seven. I did an indie movie last year, which was a bigger part and I loved it, but still waiting for that big break, y’know?”

“I bet you steal the show with your unnamed guy number seven every time.”

Alex smiles, “That’s sweet of you to say. I’m… I’m good, really fucking good, actually. But it’s just hard out there. Harder still when I’m based here instead of New York or L.A, but the idea of being in either of those places alone and unemployed is too depressing to even contemplate.”

“Well, I’m certainly glad you’re in Austin instead of either of those places too,” Henry says, entirely too earnestly.

“Yeah,” Alex agrees, letting his eyes slowly roam over Henry’s face, “Me too.”

Later, after they’ve checked out a few stalls and settled on another picnic bench, Alex with an iced latte this time and Henry with a peach ice tea, he returns the question. Henry’s been expecting it, but it still feels awkward as he replies.

“I’m a writer,” Henry says vaguely.

“Oh yeah? What do you write? Like a journalist or an author or?”

“I’m an author,” Henry confirms, and Alex raises his eyebrows, obviously intrigued.

“Anything I might have heard of?”

And the thing is, Henry’s books are pretty popular, he’s even currently in talks with production companies over a couple of them - one for movie rights and one for a theatre adaptation, but he really doesn’t enjoy that side of it. Henry writes because he has to, the fact that people seem to enjoy the outcome? Well, that’s just an added, and unexpected, bonus.

“Maybe,” he says, “I write mainly queer focused fiction, but I dabble in a few different genres, so I guess it depends what you’re into.”

Alex looks at him, contemplating, “Y’know, I can’t remember a single book I’ve ever read written by someone named Henry, what’s your surname?”

“Fox,” Henry says, “But I don’t write under Henry.”

It takes a moment, but he sees the second Alex puts the pieces together, “Wait, you’re not - you’re fucking Arthur H. Fox aren’t you?”

“Guilty as charged.”

“Holy shit,” Alex says, obviously stunned, “Holy fucking shit. You’re… you… I just fucking finished reading The Broken Things literally last month. It was… fuck, it was stunning.”

“Thank you,” Henry replies, flushing with pleasure at the thought of Alex enjoying his work.

“So why - I mean, what’s with the name?”

Henry shrugs, “A lot of people write under a penname, I like the anonymity of it I guess, I hated the idea of people coming up to me in the street and just, knowing my real name? It seemed more intrusive than I was willing to handle, so I chose a different one.”

“Why Arthur?” Alex asks, twirling his tongue around the straw of his drink, and distracting Henry entirely.

“He - Arthur was my father’s name. It felt like a nice tribute to him, a way for him to be involved in my career even though he never got to be around for any of it.”

“I’m sure he would be really proud of you,” Alex says sincerely, his dark eyes catching Henry’s and holding his gaze.

Henry just nods, afraid his voice will wobble if he tries to speak.

Alex asks him more, about how he found himself writing best-selling books and if he’d always wanted to be a writer, if he’s working on anything new. He asks about the movie adaptation of The Broken Things too - if it’s true and when it might be happening, but Henry can’t say much, has signed two NDA’s that mean he can only confirm he’s in talks about it.

It’s his most popular novel by some margin, the one people most frequently want to talk to him about, and Henry never minds, but it feels crazy to know Alex has read it, to hear him wax lyrical about all the things he loved. It makes Henry feel a wild mixture of pleasure and squirmy embarrassment, ever the self-deprecating Brit, even after over a decade in America.

Eventually they move onto other topics, dropping their now empty cups into the trash before heading back into the crowds to check out what else is on offer. They’re just discussing a play that Alex saw a month ago in L.A whilst perusing a stall that sells artisan breads, when someone yells Alex’s name from behind them.

He turns immediately, and Henry sees a pretty girl waving over at him, her arms beckoning him over. Henry recognises her, but it’s only when they walk towards her stall that he realises she’s the girl Percy was talking to last week whilst Alex was breaking Henry’s brain with selfies.

“What’s up?” Alex asks when he’s close enough to be heard, and his sister sighs.

“I’ve almost run out of the tissue paper I wrap the jars in, I’ve got more in the car but can you hold down the fort for five minutes whilst I run over to get it?”

“That okay with you?” Alex asks Henry who smiles and nods.

“Of course.”

“Excellent,” his sister says, reaching up to kiss Alex’s cheek, “You’re a lifesaver, and you can introduce me when I get back,” she throws a wink Henry’s way, and then disappears off into the crowd.

“My big sister,” Alex says, nodding after her, “June, she’s the best, but she’s absolutely going to interrogate you when she gets back.”

“I’m pretty sure my friend Percy was flirting with her last week when we were here actually,” Henry replies.

“Oh excellent, I can distract her with that,” Alex laughs.

“Did she know you were meeting me today?”

“Well, she knew I was meeting a guy. I left out the mortifying backstory of how we met. It’s bad enough that you know that, nevermind anyone else.”

“Alex,” Henry says, stepping closer to put a hand on his shoulder, “You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“Hm,” Alex says, not an agreement, but just an acknowledgement of Henry’s words, “Well, regardless, I’d rather she didn’t know, if that’s okay? A message sent to the wrong number is explanation enough, I think.”

“Yes, absolutely.”

And then a customer comes over and Alex is busy for a couple of minutes, easily charming the woman who is probably in her sixties, wrapping the two jars of honey that she purchases with practiced ease and handing over the bag with a blinding smile. It’s effortless for him, and Henry has known Jack was a fool for a long time now, but to have had this extraordinary man in his bed and then walked away? It goes beyond the realms of comprehension.

When June comes back Alex takes the bundle of tissue paper from her and stores it behind the table set out with all of the honey on display, stacking it into neat piles for her without ever being asked, and Henry feels his heart trip over itself at the sight.

“So,” Alex says, “Henry here tells me you were flirting with his friend last week.”

Henry pinches the bridge of his nose and nudges Alex in the shoulder, “That is not what I said at all, I said my friend was flirting with you. I was rather distracted though, so I have no idea how successful he was.”

June’s delighted laugh rings out, and Henry relaxes immediately, “I thought I recognised you! Though you were rather engrossed in your phone whilst Pez was talking to me.”

“Pez?” Alex asks.

“Uh huh,” June confirms, “Like the sweets. I guess it’s the week for charming British boys turning up and stealing out attention huh?”

She’s almost as funny and sweet as her brother, and suddenly Henry knows exactly why Percy was drawn in by her.

“It’s been a while since anyone has described me as a boy,” Henry says with a laugh.

Alex rolls his eyes, like he’s remembering their conversation about the age difference between the two of them before he shimmies out from behind the table and up into Henry’s space again.

“Well sis, I’m going to continue being charmed by this British boy if you don’t need me for anything else?”

“Nah,” she waves them off, “Go have fun, and then call me tonight.”

“She’s going to interrogate you about me later, isn’t she?” Henry asks as they walk away.

“One hundred percent,” Alex agrees.

*****

Somehow, a morning at the farmers market turns into grabbing coffee afterwards, which turns into an early dinner at one of Alex’s favourite barbeque spots and before Henry can quite believe it, the sun is starting to sink in the sky and they’ve been hanging out for almost ten hours. It’s the best first date he’s ever been on, and even though he doesn’t want to ruin it by rushing things, he somehow finds himself asking Alex for more.

“Hey, so I should really get home to walk David,” he says, and then before he can talk himself out of it, “You could join us if you like? I can drive you home afterwards?”

Henry’s neighbour is an older lady named Sarah who is happy to drop in on David on the rare occasions that he’s out of the house all day, and he’d texted her earlier - asked her to top up David’s food and water and let him out into the garden for ten minutes. It means he’s been able to enjoy their afternoon without feeling too much dog dad guilt.

Alex’s answer is another beautiful smile that gives Henry butterflies, before they head back to where he parked his car earlier that morning.

“Do you have to pick up your car or whatever?” Henry asks, glad when Alex shakes his head.

“Nah, I came in with June this morning, I crashed at her place last night.”

“It’s lovely that you’re so close, missing my sister is the hardest part of living in America for me.”

“Where does your sister live?” Alex asks as they slip into the car and buckle up.

“London, for the most part. She tours with her band a lot, and she does have a place in New York, but it’s still a fair distance from here, obviously.”

“Yeah,” Alex agrees, “That sucks, I hated being away from June during college, and her girlfriend is my best friend, so living in another state indefinitely just didn’t feel like an option.”

“Hm,” Henry agrees, “It does make the time that I do spend with Beatrice all the more special, which is nice.”

They lapse into silence then, but it’s comfortable in a way that Henry rarely finds with new people, the radio playing softly and the rumble of the engine filling the space inside the car without either of them feeling the urge to add to it.

It’s a short drive to Henry’s place from the market, just a little over twenty minutes, and as they’re pulling on to his street, Alex lets out a short laugh.

“This is where you live?” he asks, and Henry nods, yes.

“This is fucking crazy, I literally live like, a mile from here.”

And this whole thing is only happening because of a wrong phone number and the coincidence of them both being attracted to the same arsehole, but knowing that he and Alex could have been crossing paths for years feels weird and comforting all at the same time. Like maybe this was destined to happen all along.

“Well,” Henry replies, pulling to a stop, “now I know that you’re so close, maybe I could persuade you to come over for dinner sometime?”

This time Alex’s smile is something smaller and a little more bashful, his dimple popping but lips pursed together as he contemplates the offer.

“Yeah,” he says, “I think I could be amenable to that.”

Inside, David greets them both with excited wuffs and curious sniffs of Alex’s ankles, asking Henry with his eyes who the hot stranger in their hallway is. Or at least, Henry interprets it that way before he clips on his lead and asks Alex if he can get him anything before they leave.

“No, I’m good,” Alex replies, and then they head back outside into the rapidly falling dusk. It’s cooler now that the sun is down, and Henry’s glad he didn’t opt for the button down shirt today - knows he would’ve been stuffy and uncomfortable the entire time. He wants to remember this date in its joyful entirety, nothing to marr the memories, not even being sticky in a stupid shirt.

They don’t walk far, just to the park three blocks away, letting David run around the enclosed dog park for ten minutes as they sit on a bench and talk some more, occasionally throwing a ball for David to scurry after. It’s easy and simple and Henry knows he would take this over dinner in a fancy restaurant every single day.

And then, before Henry is quite ready for it, the evening is over, and he’s pulling up outside of an apartment block that Alex directs him to. It’s only a small complex, the kind that can’t possibly have more than maybe ten units, but it looks modern and cool and is exactly the sort of place he can envisage Alex The Actor living in.

As he unbuckles his seatbelt, Alex turns to face Henry, his eyes shining in the dim light from the street lamps as his lips twitch for a moment, contemplating, before he leans over and kisses Henry’s cheek. He lingers for a second longer than is strictly necessary, and Henry’s heart beats wildly inside of his chest.

“Thank you for inviting me out today,” Alex says, his face still close, body leaning across the centre console.

“Thank you for coming, I had a wonderful time.”

“Yeah, me too,” Alex replies, his eyes focused on Henry’s lips, like he maybe wants to lean back in and kiss him properly. Henry wants that too, wants it so much that he’s almost aching with it, but just as he’s about to push forward, Alex smiles and finally pulls away.

“We’re gonna do this again, right?” Alex asks, blunt and beautiful and Henry suspects he will never be able to say no to this man.

“Yes, please. I was serious about you coming over for dinner earlier. I’m not much of a cook, but I’m really great at buying desserts from the supermarket.”

“That’s lucky, because I’m really great at eating desserts bought from the supermarket.”

Henry laughs, “Well then, it’s a date.”

“Yeah,” Alex agrees, “It’s a date.”

*****

Alex (23:05)
so this second date…

Henry (23:06)
Yes?

Alex (23:07)
is friday night too soon?

Alex (23:07)
and is it too pushy for me to be inviting myself over like that? lol

Henry (23:08)
No, and no. Friday is perfect.

You’re perfect Henry wants to add, but somehow he manages to refrain.

Alex sends a ❤️ in response, and the way it makes Henry feel is befitting someone twenty years younger - eighteen instead of thirty-eight and grinning alone in a dark bedroom at his phone on a Saturday night.

*****

Chapter Text

In the hours leading up to their second date, Alex feels like he's going to vibrate out of his skin with anticipation. They've spent the whole week in communication with each other - endless hours of texting and, on Wednesday night after Alex finished an evening shift at the bar, he called Henry on a whim, overflowing with energy and too hyped up to sit in silence on the drive home.

They'd talked for his entire commute and all through Alex's evening routine of getting ready for bed - his phone on speaker and propped against the vanity as he removed his contacts and cleaned his face and brushed his teeth.

Afterwards, he texted Henry to apologise for imposing on his evening, and the reply he received had made his stomach trip over itself.

Henry (22:55)
You're never imposing, call me anytime, if I'm free, I’ll always pick up.

And Alex isn't used to that - is used to the people he's dating thinking he's too intense, too much too soon (he categorically refuses to think about that stupid fucking love confession that started this entire thing) but Henry always seems willing to indulge him. Reciprocates, even. It's exciting and thrilling and Alex is desperate not to fuck it all up.

On Friday morning he buys flowers and a bottle of wine - a brand that Nora assures him is good, because Alex is more of a beer on the deck kind of guy, but he wants to fucking woo Henry, alright? He keeps his outfit casual again, because he's almost certain it helped to set the relaxed tone for their first date, and then he jumps in his car and drives the short distance to Henry's place.

His house is nice, big and detached, a wrap-around porch and perfectly manicured lawn, and it fits with what Alex knows of Henry so far - neat and welcoming and lovely. And like, Alex doesn't have a lot of experience with dating guys, but he's quickly realising that he's probably been dating all of the wrong ones up to this point.

Jack is proof enough of that.

Henry's insecure about the age difference between them, but Alex is also quickly realising it really fucking does it for him actually - Henry is hot and he knows himself, has an incredible career and the only thing Alex can't understand is why Henry's interested in him.

When he knocks on the door, Henry greets him with a small smile and gentle kiss to Alex's cheek and the last five days dissolve into nothing, like they're picking up right where they left off in the car parked outside Alex’s apartment.

There is dinner (a store bought lasagne and salad that Henry apologises profusely for, but is actually delicious,) followed by wine and cheesecake out on the deck, David running around the garden before dropping, exhausted between their chairs. There's conversation too, good, interesting conversation - about the book that Henry's working on, about a part in a drama that Alex is auditioning for on Tuesday, about how they both found college in New York, and Alex's favourite spots in Austin.

It's effortless in a way that Alex so rarely finds conversations with other people - usually it's always a show, trying to be the brightest, most engaging version of himself, but with Henry he feels like he can be honest, can share his opinions and have Henry actually listen to what he has to say. It’s refreshing and incredible and he kind of wants to grab it with both hands and never let go.

The sun sets and the crickets begin to chirp as they finish off the bottle of wine that Alex brought over and two glasses is not enough for him to feel drunk, but it’s enough for him to feel loose and relaxed, spread out on the loungers on Henry’s deck.

“It’s nice out here,” Alex comments, and Henry hums in agreement, his eyes focused completely on Alex when he turns to face him.

It’s a charged look, something unspoken crackling in the air between them, and Alex almost makes a joke, almost alters the moment because it feels too intense, but instead he sits up straighter on his seat and then holds out a hand to Henry.

Henry doesn’t hesitate to tangle their fingers together across the gap between them, and when Alex pulls - an obvious invitation, Henry accepts and stands easily, lets Alex drag him down so he’s straddled across Alex’s thighs on the lounge chair. It’s big and comfortable and there’s plenty of space for them both, room enough for Alex to lean up further still until their chests are pressed together and he can hear the ragged exhale of Henry’s breath.

“Is this okay?” Alex asks quietly, his voice swallowed up by the night falling around them.

“Yes,” Henry replies, his throat clicking when he swallows and Alex watches his Adam’s apple bob, wants to seal his lips over it and suck the taste of Henry’s skin into his mouth.

Instead he reaches up, curls a hand around Henry’s jaw and lets his fingers comb through the soft fall of his golden hair.

“How about this?” Alex asks, leaning closer, so his breath is ghosting across Henry’s lips as their eyes lock and hold onto each other. Henry simply nods, and Alex lets his hand slip higher, lets his fingers tangle in his hair, pulling just enough for Henry to feel it, to let out a quiet little groan at the shock of it.

“What if…maybe…I do this?” And Alex lets his lips graze teasingly across Henry’s, hardly a kiss at all, but still enough to send sparks shooting down his spine. Henry tastes sweet and fruity from dessert and the wine that followed, and when he presses forward to kiss Alex properly, he knows immediately that he could become addicted to this man. To the soft, plush press of his mouth and the gasping little whine he lets out when Alex slips his tongue inside, to the way his hands come up to frame Alex’s own face and then tug at the hair at the base of his skull.

It’s all-consuming, and Alex knows that now he’s started kissing Henry, he’s never going to want to stop, could happily spend the rest of his damn life on this deck chair with this beautiful man in his lap.

It’s a long, long, long time later when they finally pull back, Henry’s mouth spit slick and cherry red, the most inviting thing Alex has ever seen, and he can’t help the quiet little fuck that slips out.

“Indeed,” Henry replies, letting his thumb come up to rest against the fat swell of Alex’s bottom lip, and Alex, who has never been very good with self control can’t stop himself from flicking out his tongue to taste, can’t resist sucking Henry’s thumb into his mouth when he lets out a wrecked moan.

“You’re going to kill me,” Henry tells him, and Alex swirls his tongue around his thumb in reply, grins to himself when Henry’s eyes slip shut in pleasure.

When Henry pulls his thumb away, Alex almost moans at the loss, trying to chase it with his lips, but Henry simply kisses him again, slow and hot and so achingly good it makes his toes curl.

It’d be so easy to push for more, he thinks, to slip a hand beneath Henry’s shirt or down into his pants, and it’s what Alex would have done before - rushed into this full steam ahead. With Henry though, he wants to take his time, wants to savour every second of this thing that’s unfurling between them.

In the end he pulls back just enough to rest their foreheads together and gasp, “Holy shit, baby.”

Henry’s reaction is as immediate as it is obvious, his body shuddering between the clinging hold of Alex’s hands on his waist.

"Too much?" Henry asks, nose bumping against Alex's and tracing along the curve of it, soft and intimate.

"No," Alex replies honestly, "Not even close, but I also want to take my time with you."

Again, Henry shudders, and Alex is already obsessed with how responsive he is.

"In that case, I think it's best I move back to my own seat," Henry murmurs, pressing one last lingering kiss against Alex's cheek before pulling away fully and standing up. They don't pass comment on how the other is clearly hard, but Alex does let his eyes linger, bites his lip because from what he can see Henry is big and the thought alone makes him dizzy.

Going back to normal conversation is difficult, but when Henry reaches out and tangles their fingers together again, it shifts the moment into something sweeter, something more comfortable.

They stay out there on the deck for hours, and it's only when one day is sinking into the next that Alex finally stands up and says he should be heading home. He doesn't want to go, and he's pretty sure Henry doesn't want him to leave either, but he meant what he said earlier about wanting to take his time, so he forces himself out to the front porch and settles for another lingering goodbye kiss.

When he falls into bed an hour later, Alex realises that Henry now sits firmly atop the list of the best dates of his life - his name pencilled into the top two spots. He also realises he’s never wanted to have sex with someone more in his life either, and as he remembers their kisses and the feeling of Henry’s body against his own, he barely even fights the urge to slip his hand into his pants.

When he comes an embarrassingly short amount of time later, it’s with gasping, panting breaths and the taste of Henry’s name on his lips.

*****

A third date follows, then a fourth, and by the fifth, Alex is so pent up with desperate wanting, that he feels like he might actually lose his damn mind. And it’s not even about sex really, it’s about Henry, and how wonderful and kind and funny he is, how he makes Alex feel really seen for maybe the first time in his entire life, and he can’t help but want every single part of him that he can get his hands on.

The fact that he can feel the way Henry is fucking packing each time they make out doesn’t exactly help with the all consuming want either.

After that fifth date, and a long, hungry kiss on Alex’s door step, he flops down onto the couch inside his apartment, pulls up a notes app on his phone, and empties the entire contents of his brain into it.

His brain which is singularly focused on Henry, of course.

Reasons why I’m definitely falling for this guy even though it’s fucking insane and I should know better:

- He’s the hottest man I’ve ever laid eyes on
- His hair
- That accent and the way he says my name
- The way he’s the sweetest dog dad I’ve ever seen
- He’s Arthur H Fox???? (literally wtf!!!)
- How talented and passionate he is
- The way he kisses
- And how he touches me
- The way I want him to touch me fucking everywhere
- His lips
- The fact that I haven’t even seen his dick and I already know it’s going to ruin me
- His quiet humour and sharp wit
- How he really fucking listens when I talk
- And never asks me to slow down or chill out
- The fact that he found a bootleg of me in West Side Story and told me I was incredible
- The way he can’t cook but has still invited me over for dinner - twice
- How he was willing to stand with me at June’s stall and didn’t complain about me interrupting our date to help her out
- His hands
- And arms
- The way he’s older but has never once talked down to or patronised me
- The fact that he ever reached out in the first place - twice, when I made a complete fucking fool of myself
- The way he dresses all preppy and buttoned up and cute
- Did I mention his accent?
- And those fucking lips

He loses steam, even though he could go on and on, and it’s only been a couple of weeks, but he feels like he knows Henry so well already, feels like he could list a million fucking reasons about how great and kind and sexy he is and god, Alex just wants.

Wants wants wants.

He flicks over to his messages and sends Henry a text.

Alex (21:39)
i had a really great time tonight

Alex (21:40)
but i was thinking, maybe next time we don’t take it so slow

Alex (21:41)
maybe next time the date ends in my bed instead of on my doorstep

Alex is happy and horny and is actually pretty certain that Henry likes it when he’s forward and direct, so he isn’t nervous to send the messages, but he is buzzing with excited anticipation as he sees the little bubble dots appear.

Henry (21:42)
Alexander, you’re an absolute menace who was sent to kill me, I swear.

Alex (21.42)
that a yes, sweetheart?

Henry (21:43)
You know it is. Let me know when you’re free next, and I will be there.

Unfortunately, they already know their schedules are conflicting for the next week - Henry’s out of town for the next two days for a meeting with a movie company in L.A regarding The Broken Things, and when he gets back Alex is tied up for four days shooting a movie of his own. It’s nothing big - just an indie thing where he’s playing a doctor who mostly appears in the background of a few scenes, but it’s something and he’s excited regardless.

He’s less excited about having to wait at least six days to finally get his hands on Henry properly, but he figures the anticipation will only make it better when they’re eventually together again.

In the end, the week passes in a blur of long night shoots, excessive amounts of coffee, fun banter with the guys on set, and in between it all, a million messages from Henry. They’re flirting around the edges of sexting for most of the week, and Alex is pretty sure he’s going to explode out of his skin if he doesn’t get his hands and mouth on Henry’s dick the moment they’re both back in Austin.

Alex is due home on Sunday evening, a little after eight depending on traffic, and he’d been tempted to invite Henry straight over, but he knows he’ll be exhausted and burnt out, and he doesn’t want to be a mess for their first time together. So, in herculean show of restraint, he invites Henry over on Monday instead, for lunch, because he’s only fucking human. He can’t wait until dinner, no way.

When he does arrive home on Sunday he eats four Pop Tarts straight from the box (the only non-expired thing that requires zero cooking,) and then knocks out for twelve hours straight.

And then, finally, it’s Monday, and Alex is fizzing with excitement.

He changes his sheets, throws all of his laundry into the hamper, vacuums and then heads to the store to buy something for lunch. He’s not sure Henry will be interested in the last two lonely Pop Tarts he didn’t scarf down the night before.

Instead he buys the bougie sourdough bread, the good cuts of deli meat and cheese from the counter, not the fridge. It’s nothing extravagant, and he really wants to cook some of his dad’s recipes for Henry at some point, but he doesn’t think a huge feast of Mexican food exactly screams sex and seduction.

Not that sandwiches do, but he’s just a fucking guy, and he isn’t used to weird afternoon dates that are definitely leading straight to bed.

He buys strawberries and champagne too, and hopes that’s good enough. Sets the mood or whatever, because Henry absolutely deserves the whole seduction thing, but they’ve been basically edging each other for a week, or maybe even longer, since that first kiss twenty-two days ago, and Alex is so blinded by lust he can hardly function.

Henry arrives a little after one, dressed in chinos and a polo shirt, his hair perfectly styled as always, and Alex’s heart rate kicks up just from the sight of him. They make it as far as the end of the hall before they’re making out against the wall, all roaming, desperate hands and biting kisses.

“Lunch…” Alex gasps, gesturing weakly towards the kitchen as Henry kisses along the line of his throat, a trail of fire against his skin.

“Later,” Henry replies, and Alex happily submits, falling straight back into the intoxicating pull of Henry’s lips. It’s incredible, just like it always is, and Alex doesn’t hesitate to sink his fingers into the golden strands of Henry’s hair, doesn’t resist the urge to pull on it, a little mean and a lot turned on.

“Bedroom?” Henry asks, in a wrecked gasp, and Alex wants to bottle the sound and keep it forever.

It’s maybe fifteen steps to Alex’s room, but it takes them a long time to stumble their way there, too consumed with touching and tasting and letting this thing that has been simmering between them bubble right over. Alex wants to drown in it, to be swept away and never come up for air.

Henry though, Henry has other ideas, namely dragging Alex into his own bedroom and greedily tugging off both of their clothes until Alex is naked and Henry is left only in his black briefs which are tight and obscene, the huge, hard line of his dick tenting them and making Alex’s stomach clench.

“I want you,” he pants against Henry’s spit slick lips, biting down into the fat swell of his bottom one to drive home the point. It makes Henry moan, and Alex wants to hear him do it again, and again, and again.

“How?” Henry asks, “Tell me exactly what you want Alex, and you can have it.”

“I want to get on my knees for you, want to choke on that stupid big dick until you’re coming all over me, and then I want you to do wherever you want to me.”

Henry drops his head to Alex’s shoulder and bites at the skin there, hard enough to make Alex hiss, “Jesus Christ, you really are going to kill me.”

“Is that yes?” Alex asks, and Henry doesn’t reply with words, just hauls him in for another messy, desperate kiss and then drops down onto the end of Alex’s bed, using the hand that’s still tangled in Alex’s hair to carefully push him to the floor.

Alex is genuinely worried he might come before either of them even get a hand of his dick at this rate.

“Show me what that beautiful mouth can do then, love.”

It’s the first time Henry has ever called him that, and Alex’s stomach definitely doesn’t flip from that one word alone.

They peel away Henry’s underwear between them, and finally seeing his dick is a fucking revelation - it’s thick and hard and uncut, wet at the tip and framed by perfectly groomed blonde pubes - Henry is easily the biggest guy he’s ever been with and Alex instantly wants to get his hands a mouth all over it. Wants to feel it inside him.

He maybe says some of that outloud, because Henry swears, his accent curling around the vowels and consonants so deliciously, and Alex can’t resist a moment longer.

“I’m going to suck you now,” he says, flicking his eyes up to look at Henry through his eyelashes.

“Be my guest, darling,” Henry replies, his fingers clenched in the duvet and his thighs spreading wide so Alex can slot between them.

Somehow, Henry tastes even better than he looks, the salty tang of his precome giving way to the heady flavour of Henry - something Alex knows instantly he could become addicted too. And it’s not like he can take a lot of Henry’s cock really, his lips spreading wide and still only making it maybe halfway down Henry’s shaft, but Alex is good at giving head. Prides himself on being able to read his partners cues, so it’s not difficult to figure out that Henry likes it slow and deep, likes to be teased, likes the bite of pain from Alex’s fingernails digging crescent moons into his thighs.

“My God, Alex, you’re a fucking picture right now. So beautiful for me.”

And clearly, Henry has him figured out too - knows that he likes to be good, is a slut for praise of any kind really.

It’s intoxicating, the push and pull of Henry’s hands in his hair and his cock nudging at Alex’s throat, the wet slide of Alex’s spit spilling down over Henry’s balls so everything is messy and delicious. Each moan feels like it’s punching straight to Alex’s gut, and he wants to fucking record Henry so he can listen to it on a loop when he’s alone, can hear those gasping fuck’s that sound so obscene in his perfectly polished accent.

“Alex, I’m close, god.” he breaks off, digging his fingers into Alex’s scalp, “Where do you want it? Can I come in this pretty mouth?”

And like, the problem is, Alex wants it everywhere, in his mouth, on his face, across his chest.

He pulls off just long enough to gasp, “Both, want you in my mouth and all over my face.”

And then he slips his lips back over the tip of Henry’s cock and just sucks gently there, urging Henry’s hand up to wrap around himself and stroke until he’s tipping over the edge. Immediately Alex lets his eyes slide shut and his mouth drop open, the first shot of come dripping over his tongue which he swallows greedily before Henry pulls back just enough to finish on his cheek, the bridge of his nose, and into the stubble across his jaw.

It’s filthy and perfect, and Alex wishes he could see himself. Wishes this wasn’t the first time so he could ask Henry to take a picture without sounding insane.

“Can I?” Henry asks, after a long beat of panting breaths and racing hearts.

Alex doesn’t know what he’s asking for, but he does know the answer is yes, so chokes out the word, his throat used and wrecked.

Henry reaches up with his thumb, tracing across the cut of Alex’s jaw to gather the come there, and then slips it into Alex’s waiting mouth. He greedily sucks it away, and then does it again and again as Henry cleans him up and feeds Alex every drop of his pleasure. It’s maybe the hottest fucking moment of his life, honestly.

And then Henry is kissing him again, dragging Alex’s body up off the floor and into his lap, a perfect mirror of their first kiss, only they’re naked now, and sharing the taste of Henry’s come between them.

“Now it’s my turn,” Henry says when they part, his lips still ghosting over Alex’s before he flips them over so Alex is flat on his back against the mattress, Henry naked and glorious between his parted knees.

“Do you have lube?” Henry asks, and Alex nods eagerly, reaching out blindly with a hand towards the drawer beside the bed.

“Is there anything you’re not comfortable with?” Henry asks, and Alex is almost certain the answer to that is a resounding no, but he doesn’t think Henry will appreciate such a flippant reply.

“If I’m uncomfortable, I’ll tell you to stop, but I’m pretty fucking sure that won’t be happening.”

It seems to be a sufficient answer, and Henry nods before kissing him again.

Watching Henry work his way down Alex’s body with his tongue feels like an out-of-body experience - the way he bites at his nipples and traces the lines between his abs and sucks kisses into Alex’s hips is too hot and sensual to possibly be real. It’s like every nerve ending is on high alert, like Henry’s tongue is made of fucking fire, and Alex is actually a little worried he might just come the second Henry gets a hand around his dick.

Of course, Henry doesn’t even touch him there, instead he skirts around the leaking head of Alex’s cock and moves to his thighs instead, dragging biting kisses along the sensitive flesh until Alex is certain the skin will be littered with a constellation of bruises later.

Somewhere, in the foggy far reaches of his brain, he hears the lube snap open, hears the slick sound of Henry coating his hand with it, but it’s still a surprise when a finger presses at his rim, tracing slowly around his hole, asking permission.

“Yes,” Alex gasps out, giving it freely, and he doesn’t trust every guy he sleeps with to touch him here, but he already knows he trusts Henry to do fucking anything with his body.

The first finger pressing inside is smooth and easy, Henry sure and confident with his movements as he fucks Alex slowly, letting the wet sound of it mingle with Alex’s gasping breaths. Henry still doesn’t touch his cock, but it leaks regardless, making a mess across the taught skin of Alex’s stomach.

His legs spread restlessly as he begs, “More, please, baby.”

Henry obliges, and two fingers is so much better than one, pressing deep and curling, searching, until Henry finds his prostate. It makes Alex yell and his dick spit out another drool of pre-come.

“You’re so wet for me,” Henry comments, and Alex whines, half embarrassment, half burning arousal.

“Can you take another?” Henry asks, and Alex is nodding before he even finishes the question, gasping out a quiet, yes, fuck, please.

Three fingers taking him apart isn’t enough to make Alex come, but as he fucks back against Henry’s hand and drifts through the hazy pleasure, he doesn’t even care, is happy for this moment to stretch on and on until Henry decides otherwise.

“God, you’re so gorgeous like this,” Henry says, and Alex preens, wanting so badly to be good and gorgeous and exactly what Henry wants.

“Please,” he begs, and finally, Henry takes pity on him, shifts his position to lean up so he can keep fucking Alex whilst swallowing around the head of his cock. It doesn’t take long, the velvet heat of Henry’s mouth too hot and good and all encompassing that Alex doesn’t stand a chance, but he still gets a hand in Henry’s hair, yanks at the soft blonde strands until Henry is moaning and tipping Alex right over the edge.

Afterwards, Alex floats on the feeling, his limbs heavy with pleasure and his mind blissfully blank as Henry cleans him up with gentle hands and tender kisses, crawling up Alex’s body until they’re spooned together - naked and blissed out in the middle of the afternoon.

“Was that okay?” Henry asks eventually, pressing a soft kiss to the curve of his shoulder. Alex twists his head on the pillow so they’re face to face and smiles.

“It was incredible. Was it good for you?”

“I truly don’t know how I’ll ever get anything done again knowing you and these lips exist in the world,” Henry says, his eyes trained on Alex’s mouth, and the only logical next step is to drag Henry into another bruising kiss.

They stay there for a while, trading kisses and soft touches until Alex's stomach rumbles and Henry pulls back with a laugh.

“Lunch?” he asks.

“Lunch,” Alex agrees.

*****

The transition from two people who go on dates to two people who are dating is so seamless that Alex barely even notices it happening. He and Henry talk all the time, spend at least two nights a week wrapped around one another in one of their beds, and it’s only when June calls him out that he realises they haven’t actually defined what this thing between them is.

“So,” she says one Saturday morning at the market, “When are you going to introduce us to this boyfriend of yours?”

It’s… it’s the logical conclusion, is probably, definitely, what they are, but it’s also not a word that either of them have used yet.

“You’ve already met him,” Alex says evasively as he folds piles of tissue paper and price stamps the little labels June attaches to the honey jars.

“Okay, me meeting him for five minutes on your first date does not count as you introducing me to the guy who has you walking around with fucking hearts in your eyes.”

“What?”

“Come on, Alex. You’re smitten, I haven’t seen you like this in years, or like, maybe ever actually… You- you realise you’re gone for this dude, right?”

Alex does - he absolutely, one hundred percent does, but he’s still surprised that June has noticed. He’s spent less time with her since he met Henry, constantly trying to juggle his ridiculous work schedules with Henry’s own work commitments, which, according to him, are more time consuming than ever since he sold the movie rights to The Broken Things. So he hasn’t constantly been hanging out at her and Nora’s place, has only helped June on the stall twice since that first date, and has somehow found himself working alternate evenings to Nora at the bar.

Still, his sister is too perceptive for her own damn good, so he probably shouldn’t be surprised that she’s noticed.

“Yeah, of course I do. It’s just… do you not think it’s too soon for me to be feeling this way?”

The echo of those first texts he accidentally sent to Henry’s number still haunt him, and he’s terrified of one day telling Henry how he feels and him thinking back to those messages too. Of him looking at Alex and wondering if his feelings are real, or if Alex is just some idiot who tells every guy he falls into bed with that he loves them.

(He should probably cut himself some slack, he did send those messages drunk and high on the endorphins from an earth shattering orgasm, but it still makes him feel fucking stupid, and he hates feeling stupid more than maybe anything else in the world.)

“I don’t know the guy, so I can’t possibly comment on that, but what I do know is he didn’t take his eyes off you for a damn second on that first date, and you’re a catch, Alex. Why wouldn’t he feel the same way?”

Alex scoffs, “Right, a mostly out-of-work actor who is employed by his sister and best friend to help pay the bills, who wouldn’t be desperate for a piece of that?”

June punches him in the shoulder and Alex scowls at her.

“Don’t be a fucking idiot. I highly doubt the dude is into you because of how you earn a living. And just because you’re out of work right now, doesn’t mean you always will be. What does he do, anyway?”

And Alex hasn’t told anyone who Henry actually is, mostly because it hasn’t come up, but him being this wildly successful author just adds to his own niggling insecurities. And the insecurities are his own - Henry has never made him feel anything less than seen and heard and respected, but Alex just wishes they were on slightly more even footing when it comes to their careers.

Still, there is no avoiding telling June now, so Alex does.

“Holy shit,” June says, eyes wide, “You’re joking right?”

“Nope,” he replies, popping the P and shrugging, but June isn’t paying attention, is dashing behind the stall to rummage through her bag. She pulls out a dog-eared book with a spine so broken it makes Alex shudder even as he reads the title.

Lavender & Thistle - Arthur H. Fox

“Nora read it last month and has been bugging me to pick it up since she finished - I started it yesterday and I’m already halfway through. Have you read it?”

Alex has, and it’s not his favourite of Henry’s works, but it’s beautiful and moody, an atmospheric masterpiece. He feels a weird surge of pride to know Nora and June both love it, even though Henry wrote it years before they ever met.

“Yeah, I read it not long after it came out, before I met Henry or found out who he was.”

“He’s a genius,” June says, and Alex smiles.

He is, but he’s so much more than that. Alex knows for sure he’d be hook, line and sinker for the dude even if he worked in some stuffy office or was flipping burgers at McDonalds.

“Lemme take a picture of you to send to him, it’ll have him blushing.”

June holds the book up and grins, poses with a thumb up to show she approves.

Alex (09:57)
met a fan of yours 😉😘

Alex doesn’t need to be with him to know Henry’s cheeks will be pink.

Henry (10:00)
Did you tell her it was me?

Alex (10:01)
yeah, is that okay? she said you’re a genius

Henry (10:03)
I have no idea how you expect me to reply to that…

Henry (10:03)
But yes, of course it’s fine that you told her ❤️

A second later another name flashes up, and Alex groans.

Nora (10:04)
THE DUDE YOU’RE BONING IS ARTHUR H FOX???????

He looks up at June who smiles sweetly, all faux innocence as Alex shakes his head, “I’m gonna kill you.”

“Uh huh,” June replies, “So, about us meeting him…”

*****

The email comes on a rainy Tuesday morning when Alex is honestly least expecting it.

Henry left an hour ago after another evening of take-out dinner followed by making out on Alex’s sofa, and then endless hours taking each other apart in Alex’s bed, and he’s contemplating going on a run when the ping distracts him. His laptop is sitting open on the kitchen counter where Alex had been drinking coffee and perusing local casting calls, and he assumes it’ll just be another spam account. Still, something tells him to check anyway, so he pulls up a barstool and wiggles his mouse to unlock the screen.

It’s not spam.

It’s his agent.

From: Jo Garcia <[email protected]>
To: Alexander Claremont-Diaz <[email protected]>
Subject: TOURING PRODUCTION - HAMILTON: An American Musical

Good Morning Alex,

I trust you’re well. I tried to call earlier with the news but unfortunately couldn’t reach you.

Please see the below email from the casting agent you met with and auditioned for back in March - he’d like to formally offer you the role of John Laurens for the ongoing touring production of the show. The full details of the role and contract are also attached to this email.

This is an unexpected cast change, so the schedule is a lot tighter than it would usually be with a project like this - I assured the casting agent that you’re not currently under contract for any other long term projects. If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact me and we can discuss it further.

Congratulations!

Best,

Jo W. Garcia.
Talent Agent
Boone Studios

Alex reads it three times before the words sink in, and then he reads the two attachments twice - his eyes snagging on the duration of the contract each time. It’s six months, a professional touring production that will take him all over the east coast. It’s a bigger part and better money than anything he’s ever booked before, and he feels simultaneously overflowing with pride and excitement, whilst also feeling gut punched at thought for being away from Henry for months at a time.

He wonders if this will make Henry want to end things between them and instantly panics. Wonders if the universe would be so cruel as to finally give him a real role that he can sink his teeth into, only to snatch away the guy he’s fallen in love with in retribution.

Immediately he digs out his phone (where he notices the three missed calls from Jo,) and dials Nora’s number.

“Alejandro!” she says in greeting.

“I’m freaking out,” he replies.

“Okay,” she replies, sobering, “What’s up?”

“I got offered a role, a real one - like maybe finally a-big-break kind of role,” he tells her.

“Alright? That’s good news isn’t it?”

“It’s a touring production though, and I’d need to leave in three weeks to start rehearsals. I - what if it fucks things up with Henry?”

Nora sighs, “Have you spoken to him about it? Or even spoken to him properly about your relationship yet?”

Alex maybe spilled his guts after his conversation with June at the farmers market on Saturday, the three of them working their way through two bottles of wine as the girls interrogated him, and he admitted that they’ve not put any definitions on what, exactly, their relationship is.

“No, I literally got the email twenty minutes ago. And I’ve only seen Henry once since I came over on Saturday… It - it didn’t come up.”

“You mean you were too busy sucking the dude's dick to ask him if he’s your boyfriend or not.”

She’s right, but still, “Shut up. What do I do?”

“You accept the job, and then you call him and have a damn conversation. If he’s got you this tied up in knots, I don’t see how he isn’t feeling the exact same way.”

“You really think so?” Alex bites his lip, and he’s not generally an insecure guy, he really isn’t, but he’s also never wanted something this much before either. Both Henry and the job.

“If he doesn’t then he’s a fucking idiot and doesn’t deserve you anyway.”

Alex laughs, “He’s definitely not an idiot. Thanks Nor, I’ll… I’m gonna call him.”

“No problem boo, and hey, congrats, I’m fucking proud of you. I want details and dates and I’ll be in the front row.”

“Love you,” Alex says.

Nora makes an exaggerated smacking kiss noise down the phone and then they hang up as Alex contemplates who to call first - his agent, or Henry.

In the end, he calls Jo, discusses the next steps and officially accepts the job offer. Then he texts Henry.

Alex (11:03)
I know you just left, but if you’re free can I come over?

Henry (11:04)
Of course, is everything okay?

Alex (11:05)
everything is great, i just need to talk to you, be there in ten x

When he pulls up outside Henry’s house, the door opens before Alex has even made it onto the porch.

“Hi,” Henry says, a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes tugging at his lips. He looks wary, like he doesn’t believe Alex’s message for a second, and the way Alex is buzzing with nervous anticipation probably doesn’t help either.

“Hey,” Alex replies, “I’m not interrupting you working or whatever am I?”

Henry shakes his head, “No I haven’t even made it to my desk yet, David needed a walk and breakfast and then I had some emails to catch up on so, uh. Come in.”

He holds the door open wider so Alex can follow him into the house, and without any discussion they make their way out onto the back deck, Henry pouring them both a glass of water in the kitchen before he settles on the comfortable lounge chairs where they shared their second date and first kiss.

“So,” Alex starts, fingers tracing through the condensation on his glass, “I um, I got an email after you left this morning, a job offer, and I’m really excited about it, but I’m also nervous as fuck because I… it might change things between us and like, I really fucking like what we have going on right now, I really fucking like you, and I don’t wanna mess that up.”

Henry reaches over, stops Alex’s fidgeting hands, and turns their bodies so they’re face to face, knees knocking together in the gap between their chairs.

“To be clear, I really like you too, and this… relationship has quickly become one of the most important parts of my life. I don’t see how you having a new job could ever mess that up, but maybe if you tell me the full story, we can go from there, alright?”

So Alex does, explains about how he auditioned for the role months ago and didn’t get it, but the actor who did has unexpectedly had to leave the production, so they need someone to cover the east coast leg of the tour. Explains that it will mean him packing up and disappearing to New York in three weeks for a rehearsal period followed by six months on the road. Tells Henry that he knows it’s a big deal, that it’s maybe even a deal breaker, and he understands that, but he really doesn’t want this thing to end between them.

“And we never even defined exactly what we are, so maybe you think I sound insane right now because I’m just the dude you’re fucking but like… that’s not what’s going on right? It doesn’t feel like that’s what’s going on between us.”

Henry’s eyes soften, and then he reaches up to cup Alex’s jaw gently, thumb stroking over the apple of his cheek, and it makes Alex’s heart stutter in his chest. It doesn’t seem like a rejection at least.

“You’re right, we’ve never discussed this properly, and we definitely should have, but you could never be just the dude I’m fucking. This is serious for me Alex, a capital R relationship as far as I’m concerned. If you want it too, then I want you to be my partner, and I want to come and see you absolutely shine on that stage as often as I can.”

And if Alex’s heart was stuttering before, it’s like there’s a stampede inside his chest now. He reaches out, sinking his fingers into Henry’s hair and drags him in, kissing him hard and firm and hopefully saying with his lips all the things he can’t say with words right now.

When they pull back Alex smiles against Henry’s chin, “June called you my boyfriend on Saturday, and hearing you call me your partner just now it- it feels right, y’know?”

“Good,” Henry says, kissing the tip of Alex’s nose, “Congratulations by the way, I’m absolutely thrilled for you, love.”

“Thank you, I’m really excited. It’s just gonna suck, being away from you for so long.”

Henry nods, “Yeah, it will. But the good thing about my job is that I can do it anywhere, so I can come and see you, and there must be some breaks in your schedule for you to come back here too. We’ll work it out.”

*****

The night before Alex is due to leave for New York, they spend twelve hours wrapped in the sheets of Henry's bed, taking each other apart in every way they know how.

The take turns opening each up with lube sticky fingers and when Henry fucks Alex first, it’s slow and deep and so achingly good that by the time he comes, Alex is gasping and sinking his teeth into delicate skin of Henry’s throat.

It takes less time than it should for them to get hard again, for Alex to put Henry on his hands and knees and fuck into him hard and fast - rough enough that they’ll both feel it tomorrow, because that’s how Henry loves it best.

Afterwards, with skin still tacky from the shower, they fall beneath clean sheets and talk about everything and nothing, the kind of conversations that keep you up all night but don't start or end with one specific thing. Alex has never had a night like this before, has seen them in movies and read about them in books, but now he gets it - understands how you can want the darkness to last forever, because the sun rising means that this magical moment will be over.

Means that Alex will have to go back to his place and finish packing up his bags and then jump on a plane to New York. That he'll have to leave Henry here and won't see him again for twenty-nine long, lonely days.

Henry is coming to Boston - the second city that Alex is performing in, whilst his parents, June and Nora are coming to his opening night in Connecticut. Henry will be stuck in California then, approving the final details for The Broken Things adaptation, and he'd apologised so much when Alex received his finalised schedule that Alex simply had to kiss him silent.

Henry had still apologised some more, but he’d at least looked a little less devastated about it by that point.

Here and now though, Alex doesn't want to think about any of that, wants to simply melt into this moment that’s unraveling between them instead, wants to soak in the quiet timber of Henry's voice and crinkles by his eyes.

He isn't even really thinking about it when he leans up, kisses over the curve of Henry's jaw and whispers, "I just thought you should know, I'm so ridiculously in love with you."

It feels like the most natural thing in the world, and even though it's probably too soon and Alex constantly worries about being too much, in that moment, he just can't find it in himself to care. He’s leaving, and he wants Henry to know that Alex will be leaving his heart right here in this damn bed.

Henry turns his head on the pillow, his beautiful blue eyes wide and shining, before his lips curve into a soft smile and relief washes through Alex like a tidal wave.

“You are?” Henry asks, a teasing lilt to his voice, like maybe he just wants to hear Alex say the words again. Alex shuffles closer, knocks their knees together in the centre of the bed and strokes a thumb across Henry’s cheek.

“So in love, baby. You have no fucking idea.”

“I think I have some idea, actually.”

Alex beams, “Yeah?”

“Yes, of course, Alex. God, you’re… you’re everything.”

Alex feels the words soak through his skin and sighs as they settle something inside him - this curl of anxiety that has been sitting in his gut since he realised the strength of his feelings. This time it really isn’t just him getting in over his head with someone who doesn’t give a fuck - it’s real and happening and Henry loves him too.

“Say it,” he begs, pressing closer so his lips are brushing against Henry’s, “Please.”

“I love you, Alex.” Henry replies simply, like it’s that easy, and maybe it is. Maybe it can be.

Alex swallows the words with his lips, and as the first hints of dawn break through the curtains, he rolls his body on top of Henry’s again, and begs for more of him.

Henry submits so beautifully and gives his body so freely, and as Alex finally sinks inside him again, he thinks about how six months apart is nothing, not when he has this to come home to.

*****

Chapter Text

From: Alexander Claremont-Diaz <[email protected]>
To: Henry Fox <[email protected]>
Subject: sorry, i’m a sap

Hey baby,

I know I just finished talking to you like twenty minutes ago, but I'm home from rehearsals now and I'm too full of energy to sleep or watch TV, and I know you have deadlines to meet which means I can't spend the whole night distracting you so, instead, you get this. Think of it as a love letter maybe. A love email? Idk, it's 2025, I'm just trying to keep up with the times.

Anyway all this to say (heh, get it?) I miss you, and I knew it would suck being away from you, but I truly didn't think it would suck this much y'know? It's fine when I'm at work, there's so much to learn that my brain can't think of anything else, but then I get back to my empty hotel room and the moment I see your face on our video calls I just wanna reach through the screen and drag you right into my bed.

I can't believe I've already been out here two weeks, which means we're officially at the halfway point before I get to kiss your face again. I've really missed that in a way I didn't even consider before leaving - waking up to your pretty face beside mine on the pillow and being able to lean over and just, kiss you.

Ugh, what have you done to me, Fox? I swear I used to have game, and then I embarrassed myself via a text and you've ruined me every moment since. You make me want to write fucking sonnets about your lips and the way your hair glows golden in the early morning sun. It's insane, but I love it.

I love you, and I can't wait to look out into that crowd in two weeks and see your stupid perfect face looking back at me.

I'm going to hit the gym now, before I embarrass myself even more. Call me when you wake up in the morning, I don't have to be at the theatre until midday, we can have a breakfast FaceTime date.

yrs, Alex <3

—

From: Henry Fox <[email protected]>
To: Alexander Claremont-Diaz <[email protected]>
Subject: I need to celebrate!

ALEX!

I did it! This godforsaken draft is finally FINISHED. I know you're busy at the theatre, but I just needed to write it down for it to truly feel real. Also, I've become quite fond of our love emails. I hope you have too, because I plan to send you them every spare moment I have for the next six months.

I have to catch my flight to L.A in two hours to sign off on the final details for The Broken Things, and I feel like finally getting that all tied up and this book over the finish line in the same week might be the most relieved I've felt since I completed the first draft of my first book. The fact that I get to fly directly from L.A to Boston to finally see your beautiful face again is just the perfect icing on a very delectable cake.

I can't believe you have your first show in two days - I'm so damn proud of you and I've already asked Nora to send me a thousand sneaky pictures of you up there. I hope you know you'll be getting a standing ovation from three thousand miles away in my hotel room.

Okay, I have to dash, I need to walk David before I leave for the airport. He misses you almost as much as I do, by the way.

See you so very soon, my love.

Henry x

*****

[Photo: Alex on stage in full costume before the show, grinning and throwing up a peace sign.]
[Photo: Alex with the rest of the cast during the final bows, their arms around each other and all smiling as they clap and look out at the audience.]
[Photo: Alex squashed between June and Nora who are kissing each of his cheeks, their noses squished into his sweaty face as he laughs, eyes creased shut with joy.]
[Photo: Alex back in his street clothes outside the theatre, his parents standing on either side of him, all of them grinning widely. Oscar's hand rests on Alex's left shoulder and Ellen is clutching his right hand.]

Liked by AH.Fox and others

theACD the most incredible night. so proud to be a part of this sensational show and incredible cast <3

june_bug I'M STILL CRYING!!!!!
noratheexplorer HE'S A SUPERSTARRRRRR 😍😍😍
AH.Fox ❤️

*****

Henry (12:30)
I'm just about to board my flight now.

Henry (12:31)
The delay was three hours in total, so I'll have to Uber straight to the theatre.

Henry (12:31)
I promise I'll be there, even if I have to fly the bloody plane myself!

Henry (12:32)
See you in ten hours (finally <3)

Alex (12:39)
fly safe 😘

Alex (12:40)
i love you i love you i love you! i can't believe you're really going to be here!!!

Henry (12:41)
I'll be the one weeping from the moment you step on stage, love.

Alex (12:43)
I'll be the one bursting out of his skin trying to get through the damn show without jumping into the audience to kiss you

Henry (12:43)
Afterwards x

*****

[Photo: A giant bouquet of wildflowers and sunflowers sitting in front of a mirror with bright white light bulbs framing it.]
[Photo: The back of a blonde head wearing a Hamilton Tour hoodie with CLAREMONT-DIAZ stamped across the bottom.]
[Photo: A giant tray of room service across white hotel sheets with an open bottle of champagne and two glasses.]

Liked by june_bug, AH.Fox and others

theACD this just keeps getting better and better.

noratheexplorer STAHHHHP!
pezisOK you got him to wear a hoodie???

*****

From: Alexander Claremont-Diaz <[email protected]>
To: Henry Fox <[email protected]>
Subject: :(

can you come back now please?

how is it possible i spent 26 years without you, and now the thought of spending that many hours without you feels impossible?

sam brought me coffee to the theatre this afternoon and jodie just came in with donuts, I think they all know I'm going to be unbearable for a couple of days and are trying to keep me sweet (literally) and caffeinated so I won't be too mopey without you.

ugh, how can this both be the BEST and also HARDEST experience of my life? it’s insane that if I'd landed this contract a year ago I wouldn't have felt a thing about being away from texas for six months, but now it feels like I want to rip myself in two - leave half of myself in your arms and drag the other half out onto that stage every night.

sorry i know this is all very dramatic and I'll be fine in a couple of days, it was just so good to have you here with me this week. thank you for coming and for staying for so long.

I'm counting down the minutes until we both land in baltimore next month.

missing you, loving you x

—

From: Henry Fox <[email protected]>
To: Alexander Claremont-Diaz <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: :(

Hi Darling,

I just got back and you'll already be on stage by now, but I have attached a few pictures of David waiting for me when I got home to hopefully make you smile.

He told me he misses you terribly, just like I do, already.

And if you're wondering how you made it through twenty-six years, I can't tell you how inconceivable it is that I made it through thirty-eight without you.

I'd have waited thirty-eight more though, as long as it meant you finally came into my life like a tornado and turned my entire world upside down in all the best ways. I knew there was a reason I never settled before, I just didn't realise it was because I was waiting for you and a text that would change everything.

I have early meetings tomorrow and then a full day of revisions on the notes I got back from my editor, but call me before you go on stage okay? I'm exhausted from the flight so I don't think I'll be awake when you finish up tonight.

I hope the donuts and coffee helped today, I'm glad they're taking care of you.

I love you, H x

*****

[Photo: A book on a patio table - the cover is in focus, a man's hand holding a white flower as a petal falls to the ground - the background is out of focus, but shows a lush green lawn and a bright blue sky.]

Liked by pezisOK and others

AH.Fox The Broken Things film is officially in pre-production. Coming to cinemas in 2027. Delighted that this story which means so much to me will be able to reach a whole new audience.

theACD I WILL BE THE FIRST PERSON IN LINE AT THE THEATRE.
busybea my favourite! ready to drown the world in my tears <3

*****

Alex (10:50)
what time does your flight get in again??? I just got here an hour ago and one of the guys has rented a car for the week so i can pick you up from the airport 😍

Henry (10:51)
Are you sure? I really don't mind taking a taxi. But I land at 8:45pm.

Alex (10:52)
and waste 45 mins where i could be holding your hand and staring at your face?

Henry (10:53)
I'm not sure we'll make it anywhere safely if you're looking at my face instead of at the road, love.

Alex (10:55)
shush, you know what I mean. send me the details and i'll be waiting at baggage claim ❤️

Henry (10:55)
❤️

*****

From: Jo Garcia <[email protected]>
To: Alexander Claremont-Diaz <[email protected]>
Subject: CASTING CALL: THE BROKEN THINGS

Good Morning Alex,

Please see the attached spec and scenes for the open casting call for the upcoming The Broken Things movie adaptation. The deadline for self tapes is next Friday. If you're successful, the first round of auditions falls during the week-long break in your touring schedule, so it would line up perfectly.

If you have any further questions, let me know. If not, I'll look forward to receiving your tapes.

Best,

Jo W. Garcia.
Talent Agent
Boone Studios

*****

Alex (23:45)
so, do i tell henry?

Nora (23:45)
Why wouldn't you tell him?

Alex (23:46)
it's like a conflict of interest right? the guy who wrote the book knowing that his boyfriend is auditioning for the lead role?

Nora (23:47)
knowing about it? no. pulling strings? yes.

Alex (23:50)
exactly!!! so if i tell him it'll put him in an awkward position! anyway i prob won't even make it past the self tape, so it'll be less embarrassing for me if he doesn't know

Nora (23:51)
you're thinking waaaay to hard about this alejandro

Nora (23:51)
do the damn tape and go from there

Alex (23:53)
yeah i'm gonna just keep it quiet for now

Alex (23:54)
don't tell june okay?

Nora (23:55)
my lips are sealed, boo. promise.

*****

[Photo: The exterior of a theatre in Chicago - Henry and Beatrice are standing in front of the HAMILTON sign. Beatrice has a playbill tucked under one arm and is grinning widely. Henry has a small, private smile on his face.]
[Photo: The cast of the show on stage mid-bow, the rows of people in front are all standing and clapping.]
[Photo: a table filled with empty plates and half full wine glasses, two hands can be seen at the edge of the shot, fingers tangled together on the table top.]

Liked by pezisOK and AH.Fox and others

busybea absolutely wonderful trip to chicago. beautiful show, and even better company.

AH.Fox miss you already!
theACD thank you so much for coming <3

*****

From: Alexander Claremont-Diaz <[email protected]>
To: Henry Fox <[email protected]>
Subject: Sorry x

Hey baby,

I’m sending this as an email and taking the cowards way out instead of just calling you. I know I was supposed to be home on Thursday for the week, but an audition has come up and they want me to fly out to L.A for it. It's on Friday, with the possibility of a call back on Monday.

I'm going to fly back to Austin Monday evening and will be home until Thursday morning. I know it ruins all of our plans and I’m so fucking sorry, but this is too good of an opportunity to pass up.

I get it if you're angry with me, I know I’ve already been away for three damn months and now I’m cutting into our already limited time together.

I really hope you can understand why I need to do this, and still want to see me when I'm home, but I'll understand completely if you don't.

I'm sorry, and I love you.

Alex x

—

Henry (21:05)
Darling, call me when you finish up with your show please.

Henry (21:06)
Of course I understand that you need to go out to L.A for your audition.

Henry (21:08)
Like I said before you left, we'll work this out. It's just a season, and one day soon we'll be back in the same city all the time ❤️

*****

[Photo: A deck with two lounge chairs and a table in the centre of them with a beer, a glass of wine, and a stack of tamales sitting atop it. A beagle sits in the corner of the shot, curled up but with his head turned toward the camera.]
[Photo: A sign that reads TEXAS FARMERS MARKET in the bright early morning sunshine.]
[Photo: June behind her honey stall wrapping a glass jar in tissue paper and laughing at the man she's talking to, all that can be seen of him is a blonde head hidden beneath a navy cap and broad shoulders.]
[Photo: A round of tequila shots on a sticky wooden bar.]
[Photo: A selfie of Alex sitting on a sofa and grinning up at the camera, he's throwing up a peace sign with the beagle snuggled into his side, fast asleep.]
[Photo: Rumbled bedsheets with two sets of legs tucked beneath them.]

Liked by AH.Fox and noratheexplorer and others

theACD HOME 🫶🐶✌️🍻💛

pezisOK david, my beautiful boyyyyyy!
june_bug texas is too quiet without you, come back! 😩

*****

[a sticky note stuck to the inside of Henry's laptop beside the trackpad]

make some magic today, your boyfriend is impatient to read! A x

[a sticky note stuck to the top of a pot of leftover chilli]

this is the one with less spice for my favorite white boy <3

[a sticky note wrapped around Henry's bottle of antidepressants]

i love you, i miss you x

[a sticky note stuck to David's box of treats]

give him an extra one from me, i just know you're not spoiling him enough when i’m not around!

[a sticky note stuck to a tube of lube in the bedside drawer]

think of me, like i'm always thinking of you ;)

[a sticky note stuck to the inside cover of the fantasy novel Henry is reading]

watching you read before you fall asleep is one of my favorite things in the world, send me a selfie of you right now!!!

—

Henry (20:57)
[Photo: Henry in bed with messy hair and tired eyes, a book resting open on his lap and David's head resting against his hip.]

Henry (20:57)
Break a leg, darling. I'll be over here being an old man with my book and dog.

*****

From: Alexander Claremont-Diaz <[email protected]>
To: Henry Fox <[email protected]>
Subject: Love from Detroit!

Hi baby,

Sorry I missed your call earlier - it's Jon's birthday today so we all went out for lunch (and cake!) before the show. I called back when I got to the theatre but I know Pez is in town this week so I guess you two probably have plans this evening? Tell him I say Hi! And fill me in on what you've been up to with him. I hope he's dragging you away from your desk and making you have some fun.

I can't wait to see you in New York next week - finally the scheduling god's working in our favour and giving me a long weekend off when you're going to be close enough for me to make the trip. Remind me again which hotel you're staying at? I'll get a flight out first thing Friday morning and I only need to be in Jersey for the evening performance on Monday. You could come with me if you like? Before you head back to Texas? Let me know ASAP and I'll get tickets for you.

I have nothing else exciting to report but I just wanted to say hi. Call me when you get home tonight? I know it's only been like twenty hours but I miss your voice.

Love you! x

—

From: Henry Fox <[email protected]>
To: Alexander Claremont-Diaz <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Love from Detroit!

Hello Darling,

Of course Pez dragged me out this evening - we went to a cocktail bar that was entirely full of influencers and people more concerned with photographing their drinks than actually drinking them, but it was good. Or the company and the drinks were good at least. Pez was pestering me about you the entire time of course, lamenting the fact that Beatrice has met you when he still hasn't.

He was very enthused about the idea of a double date with us and your sister when you're back in Texas - I had to let him down gently that she's already spoken for.

But it did get me thinking, maybe we should have a party of sorts when you're home for good? I know we've been slowly crossing paths with the important people in our lives, but it might be nice to have them all in one place and for us to celebrate you being back?

I would be happy to host since I'm not sure we'd all fit in your apartment.

I'll call you in an hour when you're home and we can iron out the details for New York, but I just wanted to send this first, a little love email for your journey back to your hotel.

❤️

Henry x

*****

Alex (15:25)
holy fucking shit

Alex (15:25)
i got the broken things job

Alex (15:26)
fuck fuck fuck i didn't even tell henry about it because i was convinced my last audition was terrible

Alex (15:30)
NORA!!! NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR YOU TO BE BUSY!!!! I'M FREAKING OUT

Nora (15:39)
dude i was at the fucking dentist

Nora (15:40)
give me ten minutes to finish up and i'll call you

Nora (15:41)
but hey, if he didn't know, at least there can be no accusations of nepotism

Alex (15:42)
i hate you

Alex (15:42)
call me asap!

—

Henry (16:35)
So I just received an unexpected email…

Henry (16:36)
Apparently as the author of the novel, the film studio will keep me updated through every step of the process even though I sold all of the rights to any creative control.

Henry (16:38)
I'm sure you guess what the news was today?

Henry (16:40)
And now your phone is going to voicemail?

Henry (16:41)
I'm not mad, Alex. Just confused as to why you didn’t tell me? I'm thrilled for you landing a role like this, I just feel a little blindsided by it. Call me, please.

—

Alex (17:02)
fuck henry i am so so so sorry

Alex (17:03)
i'm stuck on a zoom call with my manager, but i really didn't mean for you to find out like this

Alex (17:04)
i'll call the second this over

Alex (17:05)
i love you i'm sorry x

*****

[Photo: A headshot of Alex, his hair in loose curls over his forehead, a bright smile on his face against a peach coloured backdrop.]
[Photo: Screenshot of a casting announcement giving more details of the role and the movie - Alex will play Logan, a twenty-something recent widower who is grappling with the fallout from his husband's death and their complicated family dynamics.]

brokenthingsmovie & theACD Alexander Claremont-Diaz will star as Logan.

Alex Claremont-Diaz has shared this to his Instagram story:
Thrilled to be bringing Logan's story to life next year. Super excited and itching to get started on this one.

Arthur H Fox has shared this to his Instagram story:
Everybody, meet Logan!

*****

Pez (10:04)
It took the internet less than twenty hours to start shipping you and Alex

Pez (10:05)
Which to be fair, you both made it easier than it might have been with the not so subtle insta posts and comments these last five months

Henry (10:11)
Please never use the word shipping again.

Henry (10:15)
Also I am avoiding the internet forever.

Pez (10:16)
Don't be so bloody dramatic, they're all eating it up!

Pez (10:17)
The hot American actor being cast in the hot British author’s movie adaptation? That is like catnip to the internet fangirls

Henry (10:20)
Great well I'll leave you to enjoy that on my behalf. Alex is finally home from tour tomorrow and I have a million loose ends to tie up before then.

Pez (10:21)
Oh yeah? Planning on being unreachable for a while? 😉💦

Henry (10:22)
You’re ridiculous… but yes. Very unreachable for a very long time.

Henry (10:23)
And then, if that goes as well as I hope it might, I'm going to ask Alex to move in with me in the new year.

Pez (10:23)
HENRY FOX YOU DARK HORSE!

Pez (10:24)
Enjoy all the wild sex whilst you can then, it'll be missionary once a week once you're cohabiting!

Henry (10:25)
I hate you.

Pez (10:26)
Please, you adore me.

*****

[Photo: Two people holding hands on a sofa - only their legs and fingers tangled together on top of one of their knees can be seen.]
[Photo: A breakfast spread including a teapot, a cafetiere, sliced bananas and strawberries and pancakes shaped like love hearts.]
[Video: A beagle chasing a ball across a huge field as two men laugh behind the camera, a British accent calls out David! in fond exasperation.]
[Photo: Alex standing beneath the TEXAS FARMERS MARKET sign winking and holding his hands out in the (millennial) shape of a heart.]
[Photo: A silver refrigerator door with a selection of city themed magnets from across the east coast of the U.S alongside a magnetic grocery list pad, the words Darling, please do NOT feed David a second breakfast, I promise you he will not starve. I’ll be back for lunch, Love you x written across it in neat cursive.]

Liked by AH.Fox and june_bug and others

theACD the most incredible year of my life with you ❤️
fate works in mysterious ways, but clearly the universe knew what i needed, and i’m so glad you decided to be kind and sympathetic to an idiotic stranger 365 days ago. here’s to the next year, and a million more small, wonderful moments together. you make every day magic, baby.

noratheexplorer i cannot even with you two 😭😍
june_bug ugh, so cute it’s SICKENING!

—

Henry (08:35)
You should tag me that post.

Alex (08:37)
wait, are you serious?

Henry (08:40)
If you’re okay with everyone knowing, then yes, very serious ❤️

Henry (08:41)
Also I can’t believe you have a meeting on the morning of our anniversary, hurry home, I had grand plans to give you the orgasm of your life and breakfast in bed.

Alex (08:42)
i’ll be home for ten, i’ll pick up the breakfast and then we can work on the orgasms together!!!

Henry (08:42)
😘

—

Alex Claremont-Diaz (theACD) has tagged you in an Instagram post.