strings attached ; firstprince

chapter five

If you still want me, I'd like to do it right this time.

Yours,

Alex

Henry looks up finally, his cheeks are a little damp and–oh, he's crying.

"Alex I-" Henry stutters, sniffing a little. "No one has ever done anything like this for me. I don't know what to say."

"I just... I didn't want you to think I was fucking with you... Because I mean, I don't know what I was thinking at first but I really like you and-" Alex's rambling–thankfully–is cut off as Henry surges forward, pressing his lips to Alex's mouth. Undoubtedly the quickest way to make Alex shut up.

Alex freezes at first, his brain short-circuiting but once he processes Henry's warm lips on his, he lifts his hand to Henry's neck and it sends an electric sensation through his fingers as they comb through the hair on the nape of his neck. He feels Henry relax into him, coming undone beneath his fingers.

It's everything he ever imagined, the static air that fell between them dissipates and Alex's whole body tingles, and charged energy rushes through him. The press of Henry's mouth feels warm while the world around him fuzzes into static. It's so intoxicating.

His lips are soft and tender, and Alex almost doesn't believe it's happening until their faces finally separate and he's hit with reality. He just kissed Henry Fox. Breathless laughs escape from both of them and Henry's blue eyes glisten, smile lines forming by his eyes as he lets out an honest-to-God giggle.

"You truly are incorrigible," Henry grins, holding Alex close by the waist. "A plague upon my existence, an insufferable-" Alex cuts him off by pressing a peck to his lips. Just because he can.

"Baby, usually people give compliments to the person they like," Alex winks, watching Henry blush profusely.

"Perhaps," Henry chokes out, still clearly caught up on the pet name. Alex files that away for future reference.

"Well," Alex says gesturing to the picnic spread at their feet. "This food isn't going to eat itself."

Henry smiles softly, joining Alex and glancing up at him with a fond look every time he speaks. Alex can feel the gratitude in each small smile directed his way multiple times during the picnic. Each time Henry goes to say as much verbally, Alex takes it upon himself to kiss him into silence. It just has to be done. Alex knows he's too far gone when he finds Henry sitting cross-legged eating strawberries something that's so excruciatingly cute.

"So when did you... you know... start..." Alex tries to ask.

"When did I start to fancy you?" Henry supplies.

"Yeah."

Henry tilts his head down, smiling sheepishly at the ground. "The campfire."

"I thought you hated me then," Alex says incredulously with a breathy laugh. "Tell me more."

"You're gorgeous, can carry a tune and you played Fleetwood Mac," Henry says as if it's an adequate explanation.

"And that made you hate me?" Alex asks with a huffed laugh.

"I didn't hate you," Henry says quietly, very unconvincingly.

Alex rolls onto his stomach and rests his chin in his hands. "I sense an ellipsis."

"I hated that I couldn't have you," Henry says, meeting Alex's eyes. Suddenly a pang of guilt fills his chest, rising to his throat and he chokes on it. Henry always wanted him and Alex... He had to be convinced. He had to be bribed to realise that the best thing was right in front of him.

"Henry," Alex says, a little breathless. "I... I need to tell you something."

"Yes?" Henry responds, looking at him attentively with a small smile on his lips. Alex is suddenly overwhelmed with the fact that he doesn't want to see Henry cry ever again and he especially doesn't want to be the reason. Things just got better, Henry finally gave him another chance. Henry likes him. What if telling him the truth ruins this? He doesn't want to be another Connor. The thought of that makes his stomach churn and twist violently.

"I think being a poet might be my vocation," Alex says instead. Henry's head falls back with a laugh.

"I don't doubt that for a second," Henry says with an amused smile. "I was truly moved by your words."

"What can I say? You're my muse." Alex puts on a false smile and it feels so wrong, he feels himself withering away as the guilt settles heavily in his chest. Henry smiles widely, a blush creeping up his neck to his cheeks and Alex wishes he could've figured this out on his own. Without it being a favour that'll come back to bite him in the ass.