Chapter Text
Alex followed June and Nora to a high end New York night club. The women were dressed to their nines and Alex had showered both of them with compliments, when they were getting ready for the evening.
Percy Okonjo, known as Pez to his friends, the flamboyant socialite, philanthropist and probably the third in June’s and Nora’s relationship, had insisted Alex simply had come to his New Year’s party. And that’s how Alex found himself in the middle of the most dazzling party he had ever seen. Feeling like he had just stepped into a movie, Alex looked around the private floor Pez had rented for the night. The venue was full of glitter, sparkling drinks and sexy people.
Alex had just got his first drink when he spotted him. Henry Fox, June’s colleague and the most annoyingly handsome asshole. Alex was pretty sure Henry was a racist homophobe, who for some insane reason just didn’t have a problem with June and Nora. Or maybe he just hated Alex’s guts for some reason.
“What’s he doing here?” Alex asked, loathing in his voice. Nora and June immediately looked around, scouring with their eyes the dancing people filling the space.
“What? Who?” June followed Alex’s line of sight and spotted a lonely figure in the corner of the room. “You mean Henry? He’s Pez’s best friend.” June explained and tried to wave at Henry, but Henry wasn’t looking their direction.
“He is Pez’s best friend? He??” Alex didn’t bother lowering his voice, which earned him a stern look from Nora. As far as Alex knew, Nora liked Henry, which was weird.
“Yeah, they are a bit different, I know. But they’ve known each other since they were little kids, I think. Henry was the one who introduced Pez to us.” June smiled fondly. Alex had always found it odd that June seemed to have a soft spot for Henry, just like Nora. Maybe it was because of Pez.
“A bit? That’s an understatement.” Alex scoffed and promptly decided to avoid Henry for all evening, like Henry had avoided him for the eight months they had known each other, despite Alex visiting Henry’s place of work at least twice a week.
After three more drinks Alex forgot his decision and found himself striding towards Henry, who was still standing alone against the wall, apparently trying to blend into it and avoid talking with anyone. How was holding his drink like a shield in front of him and looking at his own shoes. Henry seemed almost shy, but Alex was sure Henry was just sulking. Apparently even a lavish party like this wasn’t fancy enough for Henry Fox. Stupid, pretty Henry Fox, the nepo baby son of James Bond star Arthur Fox. Alex had sometimes wondered how Henry had ended up working in a small independent bookstore in New York, when he could probably be swimming in money in Hollywood. Or wherever English filmstar offspring hung out. Maybe it was some kind of experiment for him.
“Henryyyyy! Long time no see!” Alex yelled way too loudly over the music, but nobody even glanced at him. Nobody except Henry, who looked startled by Alex’s sudden approach. Good, served the snob right, thought Alex.
“Oh, hello Alex. Lovely to see you.” Henry said in a low voice Alex had a hard time catching.
Henry avoided Alex’s eyes, but didn’t walk away like he usually did. He just sipped his drink and uneasily shuffled his feet around. Was Alex’s present really this bothersome to Henry?
“So… June said you are Pez’s best friend.” Alex stated and didn’t even bother trying to keep the disbelief from his voice, annoyed by Henry’s clear distaste for his current company.
“Um… yes, I… I guess I am. I mean he definitely is my best friend, only friend… I… I mean he has lots of friends…” Henry stammered awkwardly and Alex thought Henry might be actually blushing, but in the low colourful lighting it was hard to be sure.
“I just have a hard time believing you two are friends.” Alex said bluntly.
“Oh, I have too, you know. I mean, Pez is so confident and popular and… well I’m me.” Henry laughed a soft, self deprecating laugh.
“I meant him being queer and black, but okay.” Alex started to realise his brain to mouth filter wasn’t working any more, but couldn’t make himself care too much, since that statement made Henry finally look at Alex straight in the eye.
“What are you implying exactly?” Henry had the audacity to look both confused and hurt. He had to understand what Alex meant, right? He was just trying to act politically correctly, right?
“Well I guess I’ve just always thought you are either a racist or a homophobe. Possibly both.”
Alex couldn’t help but wonder where exactly his filter’s on-button was located, since he desperately needed back on. This was getting out of hand and Alex was pretty sure June would have his balls, if she heard how Alex had talked to her precious colleague. Maybe he had been wrong all along. That would make sense, since June and Nora probably wouldn’t tolerate an asshole as their friend.
“And what on Earth made you think that?” Henry looked positively disgusted by Alex’s words.
“You refuse to talk to me and practically run away every time I visit the bookshop. I’ve never been anything but polite with you, so I assumed it had to have something to do with me being brown or me being bisexual.” Alex tried to defend himself, even when he started to feel like he might have made a huge mistake. To Alex’s horror he could see tears welling in Henry’s eyes and his breathing quickening.
“So it never even crossed your mind I might run away, because you are intimidatingly handsome and nice and I got too shy and nervous to be around you, since I have an embarrassingly huge crush on you?” Henry’s voice sounded slightly hysterical and before Alex could form any sort of response, Henry was already turning on his heels. “If you would excuse me.” He mumbled before disappearing into the crowd.
What on Earth had just happened? Had Henry fucking Fox just admitted he had a crush on Alex?