Archive of Our Own

Henry probably should have seen the bad day coming, probably should have noticed the metaphorical anvil dangling precariously over his head when he woke up in a puddle of his own sweat, with Alex’s side of the bed long since abandoned. He had gotten so used to actually sleeping well curled around Alex’s back with his nose pressed into those wild curls that despite the heat he couldn’t help feel slightly cold. 

And grumpy. 

Vaguely, he heard Alex’s voice echoing softly down the hall, probably tucked away in the office. 

Traitor. Deserter. 

New York had been having a particularly brutal heat wave this summer, and every increasingly hot day that passed Henry bemoaned having crossed the pond and trading the frequently cold, rainy weather for this. Though, at least the sunshine and heat came with the reward of Alex wearing more obscene short shorts, according to thirsty Instagram comments. 

Teen Vogue had gotten quite invested in documenting Alex’s summer closet, and Henry would only slightly complain. As if he didn’t save most of the photos he came across into his camera roll. 

Like he would really not encourage seeing more of that beautiful skin on display. Those thighs. 

Not quite feeling his limbs yet, Henry slowly stretched out, groaning as his back popped. He rolled over onto his side and patted around for his phone on the side table with his eyes half-shut; if it was early enough, maybe he could get a few more calm moments in bed before he had to get dressed and ready for work, maybe Alex would re-join him and make up for depriving him of waking up together —

It was in fact, not early.

Henry cursed, launching himself out of bed.

He rushed through his usually lazy shower, much faster without Alex insisting on joining him and getting much too handsy while Henry tried to keep soap out of his eyes. He didn't even bother with his usual conditioner soak even though he knew the heat would frizz his hair immediately; he tumbled out of the shower as quickly as possible, and promptly slipped on the bathmat. 

He could see the papers now, ‘HRH Prince Henry, Dead at 24, Cracked His Skull Open on the Sink.’

Luckily, he managed to grab the towel rack on his way down, and while his skull survived, the towel rack unfortunately did not.

“Hen? You okay?” He heard Alex call from the bedroom, and god, the last thing he wanted was Alex to witness his truly ungraceful moment. Henry scrambled to his feet, managing to wrap a towel around his waist before Alex was opening the door with a concerned look on his face. 

His eyes landed first on panicked look that must have spread on Henry’s face, and then on the towel rack, pointedly not in the wall anymore, but rather cradled in Henry’s hands like it was going to bite him.

Henry flushed at the teasing grin that spread on his face. 

“Not a word,” Henry grumbled, shoving the rack in Alex’s direction in favor of digging through his drawer at the sink for his moisturizer and sunscreen. He pointedly ignored Alex’s eyes, even as his beautiful, long fingers curled around Henry’s waist and he felt Alex smiling through the kisses he pressed against his shoulder. 

It did do a bit to ease the throb of annoyance in his temples, however. 

Alex quietly pulled another towel out to soak up the water dripping down Henry’s back and shoulders, and up into his hair to dry it out as much as he could. His fingers massaged gently along Henry’s scalp; Henry’s eyes drifted shut for a moment before setting back to work on squeezing out the dregs of their toothpaste.

“I laid a suit out for you, figured you were running late,” Alex murmured while Henry brushed his teeth, “it's one of those linen ones you like so hopefully you won’t sweat your ass off.”

Of course, Alex wouldn’t resist an opportunity to sneak his hand under his towel and squeeze said ass. Henry jolted, glaring halfheartedly through the mirror at Alex’s sly grin. 

“Demon. I don’t know why I put up with you.”

“Cause I’m pretty and have a nice ass and you loooove me,” Alex crooned, beaming when Henry couldn’t fight off his smile as well. God, this man. Henry would never get tired of these moments, even if Alex lived his life solely just to rile him up, he loved that he got to rile him up just as much in return.

Hmm, that’s an idea.

Smirking to himself, he bent over, backing his ass into Alex’s hips as he spit out his toothpaste and rinsed. 

The sharp gasp from behind him and the hands tightening around his hips sent a surge of pride through Henry’s chest, and while he desperately, desperately wanted to draw more of those Alex’s pretty mouth, he unfortunately had responsibilities to attend to. Meetings. And more meetings. Probably a speech or two. Many, many phone conferences. Though really, what was more important than attending to this beautiful man and going back to bed for the foreseeable future. 

Henry could vividly hear Pez scolding him in his ear.

Funding, that’s what! 

Henry straightened, and marched into the bedroom before he got any more irresponsible ideas. 

He probably shouldn’t have looked back just to be safe, but lord, he couldn’t help himself. In any room, Henry’s eyes would always be drawn to Alex, like magnetic opposites attracting perfectly. Every time he walked into a room he couldn’t resist looking to him, and always found that Alex would be looking right back like he was the only person in the world.

Alex stood in the bathroom doorway, eyes dark and fixed on Henry’s every move.

“Mi sol hermoso,” Henry just barely heard Alex whisper it under his breath; he had to clear the sudden lump in his throat. 

“Thank you for laying this out for me, sweetheart,” Henry pulled on his boxers and trousers, suddenly remembering that he had been in a hurry before Alex had nearly derailed the whole morning, “Why is it so hot in here?”

“Well, there’s a half-naked prince in the room —”

“Alex.”

“A very sexy, steamy, wet —”

Henry threw his wet towel in Alex’s face.

Alex laughed brightly, and Henry smiled at the sound. More than anything, he loved the sound of Alex laughing. Especially if it was because of him.

“The heat, love?” Henry reminded him softly, hopefully distracting him enough so he could get his shirt buttoned before Alex took any drastic actions. Thankfully, it worked.

“Oh, I guess the power grid is all kinds of fucked up because of the weather and it blew the fuses on the air conditioner, I called it in when I woke up but we’ll see when they actually get here to fix it,” Alex crossed the room to help Henry put on his jacket, “I’m not above dropping names honestly if it gets them here quicker, it’s way too hot out for this. Like way too hot. I was scared to let David walk on the concrete out there—”

Absentminded, Henry watched his mouth move a mile a minute, smiling fondly when Alex pulled out one of the more colorful, pattered ties he had insisted that Henry had to have and began tying it carefully for him with swift, sure fingers. 

“And all these assholes have the nerve to say global warming doesn’t exist because we still get snow in the winter. Like Texas getting buried in snow and ice is totally normal and California getting blasted by a hurricane and the oceans are boiling — did you see that they’re projecting that it’ll actually be a hot winter this year?—”

Henry curled a hand around the back of Alex’s neck, threading through the soft curls there and pulling Alex in for a kiss. 

Alex melted into it immediately, his hands coming up to slide along Henry’s chest. 

God, he could never help himself when it came to this man, he was entirely too weak to resist him. 

Couldn’t help but wrap his arms around him and drag Alex closer against his chest, sliding their mouths apart to trail his lips down the line of Alex’s jaw, his cheek, down his throat — he could feel Alex’s moan against his tongue, and Henry’s head spun at the sudden jolt of heat that laced down his spine. 

Maybe…he could afford to be a little late? Especially when the day had started so poorly. 

Ear-splitting ringing sliced through the air, and they both nearly jumped out of their skin. 

It was Henry’s phone of course; groaning, he wound around the bed to grab it — Pez’s name flashed across the screen, as if he had a sixth sense for Henry getting up to no good. Honestly, he probably did at this point. 

Henry answered it, tucking the phone between his ear and shoulder as he trudged over to the dresser for his cufflinks— Alex was already holding a pair out to him before he could even reach it. His favorites, a stunning set of black pearls set in silver that Alex had given him when he moved into the brownstone. He’d blushed when he told Henry that black pearls supposedly represented eternal love and hope, and Henry heart had felt like it would beat out of his chest it was so full of love for this man.

Henry took them with a grateful smile, mouthing ‘Pez’ as he pressed a kiss to his cheek. Alex nodded, smiling back softly before disappearing out the door and down the stairs.

“Henry, my dearest, dearest friend. You had better be in a car right now and not anywhere near that beautiful boy or your bed, or so help me I will come over there and drag you out of that house in whatever state I find you in.”

“I swear I’m getting dressed as we speak, and Alex is not even in the room, I promise.”

“Best behavior please, darling. No getting distracted at the door either! Sponsor meeting starts at 9:30 sharp and I will steal Alexander from you if you’re late.”

“Oh come off it—”

“Don’t think I won’t! He’s delicious, I don’t think Nora would mind —”

“I’m hanging up now.”

“Behave! Don’t be late!—”

Shoving his phone into his pocket, Henry grabbed the socks and shoes laying out for him, and hurried down the stairs after Alex.

Pez wasn’t wrong about the beautiful boy part. Alex stood at the kitchen counter, tucking some papers that Henry had left there last night into his briefcase and Henry took a moment to admire him as he absentmindedly pulled on his shoes. The intense sun recently had tanned his skin by just a hint, and burned sun-bleached highlights in his dark hair, and Henry was only slightly embarrassed that he was obsessed enough to notice. 

But how embarrassed could he really be when he was so lucky to have this beautiful, loving man all to himself. Getting his clothes and his briefcase ready for him so he wouldn’t be late, but still actively distracting him from getting dressed because they couldn’t help but touch each other every chance they got. Especially now that they didn’t have to hide any of it. 

He couldn’t fight the need to crowd up behind him and press a kiss into those dark curls. 

“Hi,” Alex whispered as he leaned back into Henry’s chest, “I got some tea ready to go for you earlier, might have steeped too long though.”

“It’ll be perfect, thank you, love. Thank you for taking care of me.”

He turned, his dark eyes soft and warm as he tucked Henry’s briefcase into his hand. Alex’s smile made him melt like butter every-time, and god, he was so in love that he thought he might explode. Henry gazed down at him, grasping Alex’s hand in his and pulling it to his lips to press a kiss to his knuckles. And just for good measure, with all of that alluring skin being right there, he kissed along the back of his hand, around to the delicate bone in his wrist — it would be rude not to appreciate it.

“Alright, Prince Charming,” Alex teased, despite the heat Henry saw simmering behind his eyes, “as much as I want to lock you away for the day, you have very important places to be and people to see, so out with you!” Henry laughed as Alex herded him towards the door, shoving his travel mug into his free hand and kissing him one last time.

Maybe the day wouldn’t be so bad after all. 

—————

He jinxed it. He definitely jinxed it. 

At least he made it to the shelter in time to set his things down in his office before the sponsor meeting, however, it all went downhill from there. 

As they filed into the conference room, one of the representatives from Wells Fargo accidentally dumped their coffee all over Henry’s keyboard, effectively ruining the presentation and all of the notes he had wanted to make sure to go over today. One of the interns had rushed in to snatch the computer and said something about rice, and thankfully Pez had a copy of the presentation at least, so they worked from there. Henry was still irritated by it. He wasn’t even sure if that computer had been backed up recently, and how was he supposed to get any work done now?

The meeting seemed to have gone well after that, thankfully. While Henry knew that no one would be agreeing to any deals or donations today, it still rubbed him wrong that they hadn’t given much confirmation before they left on if they’d like to move forward together, like most of their other sponsors had. Maybe the guilt of ruining his computer would bring the Wells Fargo rep around to their side.  

So, Henry spent the rest of the morning working on his iPad, irritation bubbling under his skin. 

Taylor, one of Pez’s assistants, ducked their head into his office around noon to get a lunch order from him, only for his lunch to be missing when the orders got back to the office. It was then that Henry actually realized how hungry he was after missing breakfast, and that only served to make him more annoyed. One of his RPO’s offered to go out personally and bring him lunch, but Henry decided he was too wound tight and needed to get some of his energy out — dead-set on going out for something himself.   Like a normal person. Well, as normal as it could be with his RPO’s coming along anyway.

God, he just wanted to go home and have lunch with Alex instead. He was probably buried in one of his law textbooks, scribbling away with those cute glasses slipping down his nose. Henry always took great pleasure in sneaking into the office to pull him out of his books to make sure he was hydrated and fed.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t go home and slack off today, not with a conference call scheduled later that afternoon. 

So, Henry and his RPO’s snuck down the street to the falafel place that had become a frequent favorite of Pez and Henry, especially when homesick for their favorite spot back home. He was only stopped a handful of times in the short few blocks for photos and hellos, which wasn’t new in the slightest, but that didn’t stop his temper from simmering under the surface. 

He was just being hangry, as Alex would have said. He’d feel better with something on his stomach.

Admittedly, it helped. Henry had his lunch tucked away in his office instead of out with the rest of the staff as he usually did, turning off his lights besides the dim desk light and basking in the quiet darkness. Stomach full and satisfied, overstimulation and irritation staved off, Henry finally emerged from his office to find most of the staff huddled around the windows facing the street, looking between each other nervously. 

“What’s going on?” Henry caught Pez as he breezed by, catching the mildly panicked look on his face spiked Henry’s nerves up to high alert. Rarely did anything make Pez so outwardly nervous, most things rolled off his back with ease. Or at least he let it seem that way — ‘A part of his image,’ he would tease.

“A group of, erm, proud boys, that Neo-Nazi group? They’re hanging around outside. Shouting nonsense. Luckily your RPO’s and our other security are handling it fairly well, but they're very angry it seems.”

Henry balked. 

“Angry? Why are they angry at us?”

“Sweetheart, we’re a major help center for LGBTQI+ people. Apparently we’re all groomers nowadays.”With that, Pez sped off towards his office, his cell phone already pressed to his ear. 

Henry’s heart thumped in his throat as he turned towards the window, tucking in alongside the rest of the group to peer out onto the street below. Sure enough, a group of men in all black were lined along the sidewalk in front of the building, brandishing signs, screaming and yelling — Henry physically recoiled at seeing a literal Nazi flag being waved around.

Thankfully, they couldn’t hear much of what they were screaming.

So, the office ended up being on lockdown for the rest of the day, even after the group had left. A security precaution, a RPO told him, in case any of them came back for another round. Henry stayed mostly away in his dark office after that, plugging in his headphones and listening to a movie review podcast that June had recommended while he read and answered emails. He needed desperately to keep busy, and not focus on the slight panic building up in his chest. 

By the time the conference call came around, Henry was extremely grateful for the distraction. He had thought of texting Alex about it, but knowing him, he would either be too buried in a book or his lists to answer his phone, or would be so righteously angry that he would storm down to the building himself and start a fight. So that was definitely off the table. He really didn’t want Cash to have to wrangle Alex when he was in his spitting, hissing cat mode.  

Luckily, the conference call was short and sweet, only a small update on the center’s progress and success in the surrounding neighborhood. While Henry was so grateful the center was doing so well, it also broke his heart that it was such a necessity and that so many people came through the doors in desperate need of help. Just for being who they are. 

So by the time the day was over and lockdown was lifted and the staff was being escorted to their cars or buses for safety's sake, Henry was itching to be home and leave this awful day behind him. He wanted nothing more than to bury his face in Alex’s hair and squeeze him tight and lay his troubles at his feet till all his frustrations at the day being so out of his control melted way.

Yet again, the world conspired against him. 

They were barely away from the office when traffic came to a standstill. A biker accident, a RPO told him after going to inspect the blockage and Henry sank into the seat cushion, angry tears welling up in his eyes. God, he just wanted to get home. He thought briefly of walking back, even if it would be a bit of a trek, perhaps it would be a shorter trip than it would be to sit here waiting. Then again, stopping for photos and such in this heat while at the end of his rope probably wouldn’t help his growing temper at all. 

Thankfully, as though the universe finally decided to take mercy on him, traffic cleared around ten minutes later. Henry was already rushing out of the car before it fully rolled to a stop in front of the brownstone, much to his RPO’s annoyance. Who could really blame him if he took the stairs two at a time when he had the Alex Claremont-Diaz waiting at home for him.

He hurried to shove his key in the lock and dart inside.

Immediately, he could feel tense line of his shoulders easing, relaxing slowly. He could hear Alex stepping down the stairs to meet him as Henry turned to lock the door behind himself — Henry would recognize his steps anywhere, and every time, it reminded him that yes, this was their home. Together. No more transatlantic flights only to have him for a short weekend, or a few spare hours, hiding away in hotel rooms and storage closets.

Though admittedly, he did sometimes miss the thrill of getting handsy in storage closets. He really shouldn’t put that idea in Alex’s head though. 

He dropped his keys in the bowl by the door, patted David on the head, abandoned his briefcase, and turned towards the sound of Alex’s footfalls —

Henry froze.

Lord, help him. 

Alex watched him struggle with a fond smile, leaning back casually against the countertop edge and sipping from his favorite coffee mug. 

“Hi, baby. How was work?”

He knew exactly what he was doing.

Henry’s eyes raked over the dark haired man, hungrily devouring any detail he could get. Alex was wearing his favorite pair of loose, grey sweat-shorts, the stretched out fabric hanging loose around his hips, dipping so low in the front that Henry could trace the thick line of hair down till it disappeared into the vee of his hips below his waistband. His mouth went dry, memories flashing of kneeling, teasing his tongue along all that warm skin and following that trail like a map.

He might have been able to control himself if the indecent shorts hadn’t been paired with a cropped tank top, the hem only barely meeting his bellybutton and leaving miles of soft, tanned skin all on display. His tight abdomen, his sloping waist, his strong shoulders — Henry’s knees wobbled where he stood rooted to the floor.

The glasses. The silver chain around his neck, his key and Henry’s ring dangling from it.

Fuck, he’d never get used to this sight.

“Earth to Henry?” 

His eyes snapped up to Alex’s face, catching the shit-eating grin spreading across his lips.

“Unbelievable,” Henry groaned, already crossing the living room towards him. Alex beamed and set his coffee mug and glasses down to reach out for him, arms spread wide — Henry practically collapsed into him, effectively trapping him against the counter. 

Greedy, Henry’s hands immediately went to Alex’s bare waist, spanning wide over the arch of his back and down his hips. He was so warm, slightly sticky with sweat, and Henry’s head spun with how much he loved it, loved pressing his nose into the curve of his neck and breathing him in, filling his lungs with every inch of Alex he could get. Henry snuck his palms up Alex’s spine, bunching his shirt up as he caressed as much skin as he could reach. 

“I’m guessing it was a bad day, hm?” Alex murmured against Henry’s hair. He nodded, not even bothering to lift his head. One of his hands curled around the nape of Henry’s neck and rubbed softly, gentle fingers scratching through the short hairs there. He could feel the love radiating from his fingertips, warm and safe. Henry melted and Alex readily welcomed it — he sagged into his shoulder and Alex wrapped his free arm around his shoulders to hold him there. 

They stayed like that for a moment, and Henry basked in it for as long as he could before Alex pulled back and cupped Henry’s face in his palms.

Eyelashes. Those bloody eyelashes.

“Mi vida, why don’t you go get changed and we can order in and talk ab —”

“Not yet, love.” 

Henry’s fingers tightened around Alex’s hips.

He saw his dark eyes flare, smoldering and molten just beneath the surface. It always made Henry a bit breathless, seeing Alex’s want and desire with his own eyes, knowing he caused it. Knowing the hold he had over this beautiful man. It was radiant. Powerful.

Something shifted in the air.

Suddenly, Alex’s arms wrapped around Henry’s shoulders, tugging him down and smashing their lips together. Henry gasped against his lips, and Alex took the opportunity to slide his tongue into his mouth and swallow the moan that spilled from him. 

Goosebumps swarmed to the surface under Alex’s fingers as they snuck beneath the lapels of his jacket and shoved at the fabric — Henry scrambled to shrug it off as they laughed into each others mouths, refusing to part. He needed to kiss Alex like he needed it to breathe, only needed him to pour life into him, fill up his heart and his lungs and drown out his restless mind. 

The jacket fell from his shoulders and Henry pressed back in close along the line of Alex’s body, meshing them together effortlessly. They both shuddered when their hips met, getting lost in rocking against each other and panting against each other lips till Henry wrenched himself away for air. That didn’t stop Alex however from kissing along Henry’s cheek, tracing his jawline with his lips, sucking and biting at the sensitive spot under his ear till the skin was hot and wet under his mouth. Henry moaned, clutching at Alex’s waist. 

“Fuck, Alex —”

“Mmm, yes please.”

Henry laughed, breathless.

God, he loved him so much it made his chest ache.

Fingers tugged at his tie — he let Alex undo his own work and yank it from his neck, and before Henry could catch a breath he was being shoved back towards the couch with Alex pressed right up against them as they stumbled. 

Henry twisted them, pushing Alex into the cushions and kneeling over him. 

The picture Alex made laid out beneath him, curls spread across the cushions, shirt rucked up over his heaving chest — the flush blooming across his cheeks — Henry wished he had the artistic talent to paint him. Truly he would have been a painter’s muse, or a sculptor’s, the perfect inspiration for a beautiful masterpiece that people would come see from miles around, just to fall in love with.

He traced his fingers along the curve of his cheekbone, along the ridge of his nose, imagining it cut in marble, set in stone. Immortalized. 

Henry pushed the daydream away, focusing back at the feeling of Alex’s hands curling around his hips. He sank down, pressing his weight into him and shuddering when their lips met again. It only stayed gentle for a few seconds before Alex eagerly pushed for more, swiping his tongue along his the seam of his lips and biting at Henry’s bottom lip. And who was Henry to not give this gorgeous man exactly what he wanted.

It was probably dangerous, the lengths to which Henry was willing to go to to give this man whatever he wanted. 

They laid there grinding their hips into each other, kissing sloppily for might have been hours for all Henry cared — he relished in getting to splay his hands along Alex’s bare skin, snake his arms around his waist, pull and tug on his soft hair. Eager fingers tugged Henry’s shirt out of the back of his trousers, and he jolted, moaning when Alex’s hands clung to the small of his back and pushed their hips together hard.

“Hen, please, c,mon, take that bad day out on me, baby,” Alex rasped against his lips, and in an instant fire was roaring up his spine.

“You want that?” Henry husked.

Fuck, please want that.

“Yes, god yes, use me baby, want you to fuck me —” Henry kissed him hard enough to bruise, struggling to rearrange them both and press Alex face-first into the couch. The blood was rushing to Henry’s dick so fast he was getting dizzy; he nearly slipped off the cushions when Alex arched his back, that crop top slipping up his back as he pressed his ass back into his hips. 

He couldn’t resist, Henry smacked his ass — his chest surged with pride when he heard Alex’s muffled moan. He squeezed and Alex made a noise that he could only describe as raw, squirming under him — and god, Henry wanted nothing more than to ruin this man. 

Maybe grope him a little more, enjoy how responsive Alex could be for him. Bite along the back of his neck, hold on to that slender waist and grind his dick against that round, gorgeous ass — 

The half-hearted glare Alex shot him over his shoulder was enough of a warning to get on with it.

Before he lost whatever was left of his rational brain, Henry rustled around between the cushions for the bottle of lube he knew Alex kept there. They had it on hand in almost every room of the house at this point — in a drawer by the kitchen sink, at Alex’s desk in their office, even tucked in the pockets of one of the jackets hung by the door in case they really couldn’t make it past the entryway before they were desperate for one another.

Which happened much more frequently than Henry might want to admit.

Especially after they would come home from long, tedious events with Alex looking utterly sinful in a perfectly tailored tuxedo. Or when Alex came home from a run around the neighborhood all sweaty and panting. And after date nights down at their favorite diner around the corner —

Yeah. It definitely happened very often.

Lube in hand, Henry curled his fingers around the waistband of those wretched, torturous shorts and pulled them down over Alex’s ass, leaving them trapped around his thighs in favor of squeezing him again. 

Bloody hell, he was so soft —

“Hen, if you don’t get your fingers in me in the next ten seconds, I’m gonna strangle you.”

“Sorry, my love,” Henry apologized, leaning down to press a kiss to Alex’s shoulder. He quickly uncapped the lube and spread probably far too much over his fingers in his excitement — he loved seeing Alex fall apart around his fingers. He leant down, stretching along Alex’s back as he slipped his fingers down his spine and between his cheeks. He heard him whine, high and breathless as he teased gently along his rim — Henry pressed forward, kissing the nape of Alex’s neck as he slowly sunk one finger into him. 

The reaction was immediate, like flipping a switch: Alex melted into the cushions, all limp and boneless. Henry knew exactly how it felt, he especially loved turning Alex into a puddle like this with every press and curve and curl of his fingers. He watched his finger stretching him and relaxing his muscles with wide, glassy eyes till a sharp cry from above him snapped Henry out of his daze — he looked up, concerned for a moment till he saw Alex’s hooded eyes looking back at him, fingers clenched in the cushions as he gasped for air.

Henry’s breath hitched. 

“Another, please,” Alex breathed out, weak and shaky, and Henry could feel himself straining against the zipper of his trousers. Christ, if it wasn’t a sight to see Alex laid out, half-dressed in his flimsy, tiny clothes and Henry pressed up against him, still fully dressed. It was something straight out of his filthiest fantasies, the ones that kept him company whenever he was traveling and away from Alex.

It definitely wouldn't be good idea to document this even if real life was better than his imagination, but the idea certainly nagged at the back of his mind.

He pressed another finger in — splaying his hand along Alex’s spine to steady him when his hips bucked.

One knuckle, then two, all the way to the base — just to tease, Henry curved his fingers, finding that sweet spot with practiced ease that always made Alex sing for him. Sure enough, Alex trembled beneath him, a strangled noise yanked from his throat. 

“Please, pleasepleaseplease!” 

“I know sweetheart,” Henry crooned. He could feel his ego soaring as it always did when he had Alex writhing and desperate for him and well, Alex did tell him to take the bad day out on him, didn’t he? Take what he wanted and string it from him? 

Henry crooked his fingers again on the next thrust, just to see Alex’s back arch and a concerning angle.

“Hennn, please, fuck me!—” 

Henry sunk a third finger into him, just to watch him gasp around his words. 

“Oh, look at you darling. Taking it so well for me, so good to me. Just let me stretch you a little more, love.” 

Pride swelled in his chest. Alex took the extra stretch with ease, already rocking back onto his fingers like he was starving for it. Henry was just has starved for him, he could never get enough of him, always greedy for more and more of whatever Alex would give him. 

Gods, he was gorgeous. 

Henry couldn’t help but take another moment to admire his beautiful boyfriend, to categorize and commit to memory every inch of him. Burn the sight of him writhing on his fingers into the inside his eyelids. 

His skin was glowing in the evening light streaming through the windows, the sweat dripping down his strong back glistened, and Henry focused on the path those droplets made, wanting to trace them with his tongue. Alex looked back at him over his shoulder, pupils blown to a tiny ring of golden brown. Searching. Pleading.

As if Alex wanted to commit this to memory just as much as he did.

Unable to resist it anymore, Henry scrambled with his free hand to pull open his trousers just enough to yank his boxers down. His cock sprang free, already slick and dripping — he watched Alex’s eyes snap to focus on it as he gnawed on his bottom lip. It was intoxicating, witnessing the want flash across his face.

“Fuck, Hen,” Alex groaned, “god, you’re so fucking hot.”

And god, if Henry didn’t feel it when Alex looked at him like that. He could only imagine the picture he made, still practically fully dressed with his dick out, twitching and leaking, his hair a mess, his fingers sunk into this gorgeous man beneath him — he could see Alex in his place in his memory and fire flashed up his spine.  

Henry pitched forward, curling over Alex’s back and claimed his mouth in a hungry kiss. They pressed matching moans into each other’s swollen lips when Henry’s cock rutted against Alex’s ass, and he could feel the heat and hunger and want consuming him — he needed desperately to be in Alex as soon as possible or he was going to overflow.

He barely had pulled his fingers from Alex before he was slicking his length with the remnants of the lube and rubbing the head of his cock against his entrance — Alex keened against his lips, and Henry swallowed the sound greedily. 

“Are you ready, love?”

“Yes, getinme-getinme-getinme—” Alex nodded eagerly, reaching back to grasp frantically at Henry’s hip to pull at him. Henry laughed, feeling just as eager, and pressed in. 

It was always heavenly, that first hot, slick slide, feeling Alex give way to him. Welcoming him. Henry shuddered, pressing his forehead against the nape of Alex’s neck and taking a deep, steadying breath. It was so fucking good, all Henry could do for a moment was hang on to Alex’s hips for dear life, lest he break apart at the seams at finally being a part of Alex, being buried under his skin. 

The world narrowed down to the warmth of Alex’s skin under his palms, his lips, him tight and clenching around him — the stresses of his day melted away, broken towel racks and missing lunches and security teams a distant memory as he kissed along those strong shoulders.

“Fuck — shit, baby, you feel so good,” Alex choked out and Henry craned his head down to meet his lips in a messy, open-mouthed kiss, not trusting his voice quite yet. His head was swimming, hazy; all he wanted was to lay Alex out and pound into him, take him apart piece by piece, bite at his gorgeous thick thighs and leave marks on every inch of skin he could reach — Henry growled against Alex’s lips, enraptured by the idea of Alex at the fundraising dinner at the end of the week with bite marks and bruises barely hidden under the collar of his suit. 

Letting everyone know exactly who Alex was going home to. A possessive streak zapped up Henry’s spine. 

Henry hadn’t even realized his hips were flush with Alex’s ass till Alex began grinding back into him. He moaned as his fingers tightened around his hips. 

“Hen, fuck me, c’mon, use me, I need it — fuck — wanna feel you for days baby—” 

Bracing himself with one hand between Alex’s shoulders and one gripping tight at his hip, Henry heaved himself up and thrust, pinning Alex even harder into the couch.

Alex wailed.

A subconscious stream of praise and pleas were already spilling from his lips as he panted into the cushions. Henry’s chest surged with pride, confidence welling up in him. 

“You’re so fucking gorgeous like this, love, such a good boy, taking it so well,” Henry crooned, deep and rumbling in that voice that always set Alex to squirming — he caught the blush flare across his cheeks before Alex managed to hide his face in the inside of his elbow.

Well, we can’t have that. 

“Come now, don't hide your face from me sweetheart, I want to see everything”

Henry slid one knee off the couch, bracing his foot on the floor and he set a brutal, snapping rhythm as he thrust into Alex. 

He loved making love to Alex, kissing him sweetly and holding him so gently, holding him like the priceless treasure he was, but this, this always set Henry on fire. Whether it was Alex pinning him to the mattress and fucking him till he couldn’t breathe, or he was tying Alex’s hands to the headboard and riding him till Alex was babbling — he’d never get enough of it. 

This was a whole different level of fire, however. Whether it was the literal heat building under his clothes, the leftover tension that had been building in him all day, the fact he was still fully dressed as he fucked Alex into the couch…god, he was burning.

His grip was iron-clad around Alex’s hips, holding him right where he wanted him and pounding into him relentlessly. Henry watched through hooded eyes, panting open-mouthed as he greedily drank in every movement of Alex’s body: the way his ass bounced with every thrust, the way he writhed as he tried to push back into his thrusts. 

The way his fingers clenched and pulled at the cushions, the wet spot spreading on the fabric as he drooled. He didn't think it was possible to get even harder — blood rushed from Henry’s head so fast he was dizzy with it. 

He tilted to steady himself, and it must have shifted the angle just enough: Alex shrieked, his body locking up taut under Henry’s hands.

There we are.

“That feel good, darling? Yes, that’s it, I’ve got you love — fuck — you just take it just like that.”

Alex only moaned incoherently in response and reached back blindly to grab at Henry’s thigh — he took that as a yes and bore down on him. Henry wrapped his fist in the loose fabric of his tank top and pulled Alex back into his thrusts, reveling in the high-pitched ‘yes’ it yanked from his throat. Sharp groans and whimpers filled the air with every sharp thrust of Henry’s hips; it was impossible to tell which came from him or from Alex. He was drowning in it, lost to the feeling of Alex clenching around him.

His perfect, perfect man. All laid out for him and greedily taking everything Henry gave him.

He could’ve kept going all day and night, watching intently as the vein connecting Alex’s shoulder and neck throbbed with every gasp, with every word he slurred out, the endless praise and begging for Henry to keep going, to use him, fill him up. Henry could feel that swirling building in his stomach winding higher and higher — and he knew exactly what would bring Alex right up there with him. 

Fuck, he loved this man so much.

Henry carded his hand up through Alex’s hair, twisting and petting through his silky curls gently before tightening his fist and tugging. 

The reaction was immediate — Alex’s whole body locked up again, his voice cracking on a strangled moan that got caught in his throat. 

“Yes, good boy,” Henry could hear how wrecked his own voice was, “So perfect for me, please, please come for me love —” 

Henry didn’t even have the chance to wrap his arm around Alex and get a hand on him — Alex’s hips thrust wildly back against him, jerky and erratic, till he finally pressed back all the way to the hilt and froze. 

Alex cried out and clenched down around him; Henry cursed, his knees nearly buckling under him.

He did his best to stay standing and let Alex twitch around him as he came, let him ride out his high. Henry had to grasp at back of the couch to help him stay upright and not fall over Alex’s back and rut into him to his own orgasm. It was still roiling in his stomach, demanding release, but Henry dug his fingers into the cushion to keep it at bay. He could wait.

Apparently, Alex could not. 

“Hen — fuckkk — please, c’mon, come in me, please baby.”

Henry looked up to meet Alex’s eyes gazing blearily over his shoulder at him; he couldn’t help but moan at the blissed out look on his face, his swollen, bitten lips, his long, beautiful eyelashes clumped together with tears —

God help him, those eyelashes.

“Please, baby, please —”

Henry collapsed over Alex’s back and kissed him hard, his hands finding their grip around Alex’s waist as he fucked him back down into the cushions. Alex opened to him beautifully, panting against his mouth and breathing praise against his lips. 

It all slammed into Henry without warning.

His heart was pounding against his ribcage, his stomach clenching — it all happened too fast — he just wanted a little more, just enjoy it a little longer — 

Henry couldn’t fight it; he buried his face into the crook of Alex’s shoulder, shuddering as he came deep inside him. He laughed, breathless, muffled by Alex’s slick skin as the light exploded behind his eyes, blinding him as the heat washed over him. It spread, warm and lacing through his bones and sucking the strength from his limbs. Dazed and slightly light-headed, he came back to himself as the white-noise faded from his ears to the sound of Alex’s voice speaking softly, and his long fingers petting gently through his hair.

“So good, baby, I love you so much, fuck,” Alex murmured, “you came so much, I can feel it, mierda, you’re so fucking hot.”

Henry’s dick might have twitched if he hadn’t been so throughly worn out. Bracing his hands on the couch, Henry shakily pushed himself from where he had crumpled over Alex, carefully leaning back on his knees again. He squeezed Alex’s ass with one hand, spreading his cheeks so he could watch his cock slip out and possessively admire the trail of cum that leaked out after him. 

Henry slipped a finger back into him, pushing some of his cum back into his hole — Alex trembled, cursing under his breath.

Thoroughly spent, Henry reached for the tissue box on the coffee table and carefully cleaned Alex up, at least as much as he could with how sweaty and wrecked they both were. He helped rearrange Alex, righting their clothes and dragging him down onto the carpet with him since the couch mostly likely needed to have a steam clean before it was suitable to sit on again.

They laid side by side, catching their breath slowly. Henry turned his head, tracing the slope of Alex’s nose with his gaze, the curve of his lips, his eyelashes brushing against his cheeks. As if feeling his eyes, Alex looked over at him and smiled softly.

“You alright, love?” Henry murmured, smiling back at him.

“Fuck yeah,” Alex laughed, “not saying I want you to have more bad days, but fuck. Holy fuck. That was insane.” 

Henry laughed with him, throwing an arm over his face to hide the blush he knew was spreading over his cheeks. Alex rolled over onto his side, wrapping an arm around Henry’s waist and pressing his face into Henry’s shoulder. He could feel Alex’s smile against his skin, and fondness surged in his throat. 

“Can’t believe you jumped me like that, all hot and bothered —”

“Excuse me, I did not jump you, you’re the one that ambushed me with this outfit and need I remind you that you kissed me first —”

“You so jumped me, you didn’t even take any of your clothes off before you fucked me —”

“Again, you wore this obscene pair of shorts and those glasses, you were after me —” Alex’s teeth latched onto his shoulder, and Henry cut off with a shriek. 

They dissolved into giggles, pressing kisses and smiles against each other lips. Henry thought absentmindedly that this is what he had aways dreamed of when he imagined the freedom of finally getting to love someone how he wanted — coming home to him, unable to resist each other, and being able to laugh and smile with each other and melt that rigidness from his shoulders. To make a home in someone else.

Alex’s hand snuck under his unbuttoned shirt collar, pressing over his heart. 

“Love you, baby,” Alex whispered, grinning when Henry shuddered under his palm. 

God, this man knew him too well. 

“I love you more.” 

“Debatable.”

“I’m sure you’ll try, dear,” Henry teased. Alex rolled his eyes, but still smiled brightly over at him anyway. Henry reached out, cupping the back of Alex’s neck softly, still smiling as he pulled him in for another kiss. 

Which promptly devolved into Alex laying over him, pressing him into the carpet while they made out, thorough and lazy and slow, just wanting to be close to one another. Especially after the day he had, Henry was grateful just to hold Alex close, run his hands along those shoulders, his arms, and kiss him like there wasn’t anything else more important in the world.

With all honesty, there really wasn’t.

Alex eventually pulled back for air, but stayed draped over his body as he swept Henry’s hair away from his sweaty forehead. There was an absentminded look spreading over his face — Henry squeezed his hips to bring him back down to earth, raising his eyebrow questioningly. 

“What happened today that put you in such a mood? Surely it wasn’t just the towel rack —”

“I thought we agreed not to say a word about that,” Henry groaned. Alex’s head collapsed against his chest, already giggling against his neck again.

“You said not to, but I didn’t exactly agree to that, did I?”

“I hate you.”

“You loooove me, baby!”

“Debatable—”

“Youlovemeyoulovemeyouloveme—” They dissolved into laughter once again when Henry prodded at the ticklish spot under his ribs. 

“Yes, I love you, you demon,” Henry acquiesced when they finally relaxed back into each other, “today just seemed to be one thing after another going wrong, I was honestly at the end of my rope by the time I got home.”

“Yeah? Wanna tell me about it?”

Henry thought about it for a moment. It was still so odd to get to share his troubles, his joy, his sadness, with someone who wouldn’t judge or scold or try to fix him. He hugged Alex to him tight, pressing a kiss to his curls. 

Fuck, he was never letting this man go.

“How about a shower, and I’ll tell you all about it over dinner.”

“Just no more towel rack abuse please —” Henry swatted Alex’s ass, smirking at his responding squeal. 

“Get on upstairs, love, you had better be in that shower by time I get up there.”

Alex scrambled to his feet, nearly tripping over himself as he rushed towards the stairwell. He paused at the first step, looking back at Henry, beaming wide and playful, before taking the steps two at a time up to their bedroom.  

And for a moment, Henry completely forgot that the day had been bad at all. How could it be, when every day started and ended with the love of his life by his side. 

Henry slowly hauled himself up and followed after him, smiling as he heard the shower turn on.