strings attached ; firstprince

chapter six

The thing that confused Alex the most was that Pez seemed to act nonchalant about the whole thing, never mentioning any reason for Henry being missing in action. Even Henry's replies to Alex's texts began to slowly decline, responses becoming short and stretched out by hours. Alex tries really hard not to spiral, so instead he goes straight to the source.

After a gig, Alex heads over to their dorm, his backpack hanging off his shoulder and his laptop tucked underneath his armpit. He approaches the door and almost considers turning back, but he quickly knocks before he overthinks it. Footsteps can be heard approaching on the opposite end of the door and Alex feels excitement bubble at the thought of seeing Henry's face again.

"Alex," Pez is saying when he opens the door. Alex tries to hide his disappointment but Pez seems to pick up on it immediately. He steps outside of the dorm and closes the door behind him, looking left and right down the corridor cautiously before exhaling deeply. "Now isn't a good time."

"Why?" Alex asks immediately, panic seeping into his chest and tightening around his lungs.

"Henry's... not feeling the best," Pez explains quietly.

"Oh, he's sick? I can make him some soup if that would help. I'll run down to the store and-"

"No, no Alex he's not unwell," Pez gives him a small smile, effectively halting his rambling.

"Then what's wrong with him?"

"Henry sometimes goes through these... cocoon phases. Right now, his walls are up and it's quite hard to get through to him. He'll explain the rest to you eventually, I'm sure, but I don't think he wants company right now."

All Alex wants to do right now is hug him, and make sure he's okay. He feels a little like his feet have been swept off the floor and all control he has in his life has been revoked. It's not a pleasant feeling and he's not sure what to make of it. He files that away in his mental cabinet of feelings he can't place and doesn't plan on exploring further.

"What can I do?" Alex asks.

"Don't worry, he always comes back it's just," Pez sighs, Alex can see the hesitancy drowning his features. "Bea found a birthday card that their dad wrote for him, that he never got to give him."

"Oh."

"Yeah. It's been painfully quiet in there lately," Pez sighs sadly. "He just needs his space. He'll be okay, Alex. He'll come back to you soon."

Alex knows he should feel comforted being told this but all he feels is heavy, all he wants to do is be there with him.

"Can I just... Sit with him?" Alex asks softly. Pez looks at him thoughtfully, his eyes flickering in thought. He silently opens their door, ducking inside and Alex waits patiently outside their dorm. After what feels like five minutes, Pez returns to the door with a solemn expression on his face.

"You can come in," Pez tells him, making room for Alex to walk past. "But don't expect the Henry you're used to."

Alex nods and walks past Pez to approach Henry's room. The door to his room is half closed and he knocks lightly on it before he pushes slowly on the door. Henry sitting up in his bed, his legs under the covers and a half-read book in his hands. Alex's eyes notice a birthday card sitting on his bedside table and he feels a stabbing sensation in his chest.

It's not long before Henry looks up from his book, his glasses sitting loosely on his nose, his eyes blank and his expression unreadable. "Alex! Apologies for the late replies, I've been a tad under the weather." He smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Perhaps we could catch up another day? I've quite a bit of uni work to get through-"

"Hen," Alex cuts him off, approaching the bed. "I just want to sit with you," Alex tells him. "If that's okay, of course."

Henry nods gravely. "Oh. Okay then."

Alex drops his backpack on the floor by the door, holding onto his laptop as he makes his way next to him on the bed. He props his back up against the wall and opens his laptop, deciding he might as well work on his music. A silence settles in the room and it's comforting in a way, Henry continues silently reading his book and Alex typing away on his laptop.

"Alex, you don't have to do this," Henry says softly, after almost ten minutes of silence. Alex looks up from his laptop and sees Henry who has now closed his book and his eyelids have become hooded with fatigue.

"I want to," Alex says with a small smile. "I enjoy your company."

"My company doesn't exactly exude conviviality right now." Henry blinks slowly, clearly dozing off as he speaks. Alex doesn't understand how he sounds so eloquent even when he's on the verge of falling asleep, Alex can barely form a sentence at that stage.

"We could sit in silence for hours and I would still love your company," Alex assures him. Henry smiles, his eyelids finally shut and his breathing becomes heavier.

As the afternoon sun begins to cast long shadows across the room, Alex's fingers dance across the keyboard, typing away with a quiet intensity. The room fills with the soft glow of the screen, the only source of illumination in this tranquil cocoon of concentration.

With each passing minute, Alex's admiration for Henry deepens. There's a soothing rhythm to the rise and fall of Henry's chest, a lullaby of sorts that keeps Alex's thoughts in harmony.

The idea of ducking out to get him ice cream lingers in his mind like a tempting daydream. Alex imagines the delight that would spread across Henry's face upon awakening to such a sweet surprise. Yet, the fear of disturbing this peaceful moment keeps him rooted beside him.

Alex finally finishes his work, closing his laptop with a soft click. He sets it aside and watches Henry sleep for a moment, feeling a warmth and contentment wash over him. He can't help but smile at the sight of Henry in peaceful slumber, his features relaxed, and the weight of his worries momentarily lifted. Alex can't even imagine what it would feel like to lose someone so close to you.

Gently, Alex reaches out and brushes a strand of hair away from Henry's forehead. He leans in and places a tender kiss there, feeling the softness of Henry's skin against his lips. It's a silent gesture, a message of comfort and reassurance, even if Henry is asleep and unaware of it.

Hours pass, and Henry eventually stirs from his sleep, his eyes fluttering open. He blinks a few times, adjusting to the dim light in the room, and then he smiles when he realizes Alex is still there.

"Hey," Alex says softly, smiling fondly.

Henry yawns and stretches before responding, "You're still here."

Alex smiled softly, stroking Henry's hair and watching him lean into the touch.

"Of course I am."

"How long was I asleep?"

"A while," Alex replies, a soft chuckle escaping him. "I wanted to be here when you woke up."

Henry's smile widens, and he sits up, shifting closer to Alex. "You didn't have to stay," he says, his gratitude evident in his eyes. He leans forward, resting his head on Alex's shoulder.

"Thank you," He says so quietly that Alex isn't sure if he was even meant to hear it.

"You don't have to thank me," Alex says. "I'll always be here for you, Henry, no matter what."

Henry's hand finds Alex's, their fingers interlocking in a silent promise. Alex feels a warmth fill his chest. "I'm beginning to believe that," Henry whispers.

They sit there together, their fingers entwined, basking in the quiet comfort of each other's presence.

Each day, Alex falls harder for Henry. And each day, the looming weight of guilt rests heavily on his shoulders.