Chapter Text
If Alex was in any doubt the universe fucking hated him, he had his confirmation as he looked at the tablet screen, a calendar pulled up with colour coded dates littering it that Zahra had helpfully had drawn up for him, knowing that he would still forget 99% of the time and would still need constant reminders of what was coming up and when. The colours were supposed to help his brain sort through and remember like he was a child learning the time, it didn’t help too much but it looked pretty though.
He was half way through making a list in his mind, revision days, school days, engagements and the dates when one caught his eye.
Not a fucking chance.
“Before you say anything…” Zahra started as soon as his eyes snapped from the tablet to her own, clearly reading his mind. “I tried to rearrange some dates with the girls like we have done for the others but it’s a ‘super six’ engagement.”
“Zahra there is not and never was a ‘super six’” Alex glared, a pang of guilt spinking through him because to say that was diminishing what Bea and Pez’s friendship meant to him. They had been there for him through all of this just like he was sure they were there for Henry too. Never taking sides, listening to him rant and moan, Pez even had a drunk Alex crying into his shoulder. They were good friends and he cherished them and if it was just Bea and Pez and the girls everything would be fine but…
“He might not even come.” Zahra shrugged as Alex let the tablet drop onto the sofa next to him, his arms crossing over his chest, a pout definitely not on his mouth. “He has pulled out of all the other engagements.”
“Has Shaan said he isn’t coming?” His and Henry’s very casual and not serious but totally was relationship may have crashed and burned but with the shiny ring on Zahra’s finger, her own with Henry’s equerry hadn’t. He would call her a traitor for fraternizing with the enemy but she was happy and he liked Shaan- it wasn’t his fault his boss was a dickhead.
“Not in those words no.”
“So, he’s going to this one. Fucking great.”
It was fine, it was all totally fucking fine.
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Alex looked himself over the full length mirror as Beth, his hair stylist, finished trying to convince his most unruly curl to stay in place. Her green eyes narrowed and her tongue sticking out slightly before she huffed in defeat and told him she was cutting it off. They both knew she wouldn’t, she was more attached to his curls than he was. “It’s fine, the internet loves it.” Alex grinned as Beth rolled her eyes at him through the mirror. “Adds to ‘hot as fuck boy next door’ vibe.’
“Which does nothing for your already gigantic ego.” Despite her words, Beth's smile was fond as she set about setting the curls that would behave.
He looked good and he knew it. Head to toe perfectly tailored navy armani suit, the jacket cut to his waist just right as it flared over his ass that his pants hugged, the cut of the pant legs teamed with the squats he did made his ass peachy. A crisp white slim button down shirt underneath that he had left the first few buttons undone on, forgoing a tie and showing just a hint of chest hair. Put together but ‘look at what you gave up’ was the look he was going for tonight and as always, he had pulled it off to perfection.
“Alexander….are you trying to get everyone pregnant tonight? I think I may already need a test.” Alex grinned as Pez walked into his room like he owned the space, his magenta hair as bright as his smile as he came up and gave Alex a little pat on the ass. “Elizabeth, my angel, you’ve worked magic as always.”
“Pez, you can’t steal my hair stylist.” Alex winked as Beth blushed nearly down to her toes as Pez kissed her on the cheek.
“I would give her back….maybe.” Alex just rolled his eyes as Beth all but forgot his hair in favour of being charmed off her feet by Pez. When Alex first met the enigmatic best friend of Henry, the pairing made no sense. Henry had always been reserved and shy that often come across aloof where Pez was always the loudest and brightest thing in the room, but now he got it. Knowing what he did now about Henry’s struggles with anxiety and what he Pez called ‘cocoon phases’ , when Henry was forced out and into the world when all he wanted to do was hide in his room, Pez’s personality and brightness became a shield. He was hoping he would be able to hide behind it too tonight. “How are you fairing, strumpet?” Pez asked as soon as Beth left them to it, his smile mischievous but his eyes genuinely concerned.
“Me? I’m good. I’m great. Looking forward to having to fake a smile and stand next to my not-an-ex-ex all night and pretend that he didn’t rip my heart out and stamp all over it.” Alex turned back to the mirror hoping the anger and hurt wouldn’t be reflecting in his eyes but he knew it would be. He had always been good at putting on a smile and a fake show of confidence– he had built a brand on that particular skill- but the one thing he had never managed to do was hide it from his eyes and it didn’t help he knew Henry could read him like a book.
He didn’t care if he had to gauge out his own eyes, he would not be giving prince dickhead that particular satisfaction tonight.
Pez didn’t say anything in response, he didn’t need to, he knew Alex knew he was there for him as much as he was there for Henry. He did have some hopes of his own tonight and maybe a bit of mischief up his sleeve too.
Alex might not have the full scope of what was going on with Henry but Pez did and one thing he would not stand by and let happen was Henry carry on fucking up the one good thing in his life– other than himself of course.
Sometimes being always on Henry’s side meant fleeing across oceans in the middle of the night straight into a crisis and spiral and sometimes it meant smacking him over the head repeatedly until he remembered he was an intelligent man and not a stupid cabbage.
Henry might hate him for it for a little while but he knew Henry’s dick would be putting his name forward for a knighthood- again.
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Fuck, someone needed to turn on the A.C in this place, Alex was sure it was 1000 fucking degrees in here as he pulled at the collar of his shirt to try and get some airflow down his sweltering neck.
He could think of a million other things he could be doing right now that would be better than this; sticking pins in his eyes or deepthroating a shard of glass couldn’t be as painful as this was as he stood around waiting for prince not so charming.
“It’s going to be fine, little bit.” June whispered beside him as she slipped her gloved hand through his arm to keep him from jittering.
“He’s late.” Alex grumbled. “How can you be late when you have an army of people getting you ready? I swear if he comes down looking like a fucking James…”
“Forgive my tardiness. I had a….situation…” Alex felt him before he saw him or heard him, the air in the lobby going from sweltering to breath stealing, electricity building around him and making his skin come alive which was only made worse when he heard those rounded vowels and his stupidly posh accent. “He doesn’t look like a bag of shit does he?” Alex whispered to June who shook her head with a soft apologetic smile.
“Henry.” He tried to keep his voice level, his tone light and unbothered as he turned around to be immediately met with the biggest insult anyone had ever given him.
“Alex, you look…well.” Alex had to bite his tongue from letting out a petty HA! He couldn’t hold the slight grin that played on his lips though as Henry’s breath hitched in his throat and his blue eyes flicked from Alex’s feet to his curls and his cheeks became flushed. Alex might be the one with all the emotional feelings- sorry, who once had the emotional feelings- but it was very obvious Henry’s dick still couldn’t resist him.
“You too, Wales.” Alex deliberately slipped into his deepest southern accent, smiling to himself as Henry blushed harder, batting his eyelashes as Pez shook his head around a grin.
If he was going to be tortured tonight by having to make the world believe they were still best friends, he was going to make sure Henry suffered too.
It was only fair.
“Well, don’t you two look exquisite.” Pez stepped around Henry as he held his arms out to June and Nora, gesturing for them to do a twirl for him in their gowns, one hand over his heart as they indulged him. “Henry, don’t my goddesses look divine?”
“Yes…Yes, you both look stunning.” Henry stammered as he tore his eyes away from Alex, Alex mentally chalking up the win in his head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so rude.” Henry apologised as he kissed the girls on the cheek.
“It’s ok.” Nora grinned as June subtly elbowed her. They were used to Henry and Alex mentally dicking each other down on sight, they had been doing it for longer than either of the idiots realised.
“Henry.” June’s smile was tight but friendly enough as she accepted his kiss. She was angry at him, he had hurt her baby brother, but she also knew why. She wasn’t born last night and it was very clear that his feelings for Alex had not changed like he had told Alex that night. She wasn’t sure yet why he had lied but she knew by the end of the night she would find out. “Let’s keep it civil tonight, right?” She warned Alex and Henry as Henry ducked his head and blushed again before nodding, Alex being a brat and just shrugging with a triumphant grin on his face.
“I am told there’s no cake so we should be able to avoid any incidents.” Pez slipped his arm through each of the girls as they made their way to the waiting cars. “But just in case one is needed, I have my ways.”
“Percy.” Henry hissed as a warning that Pez clearly ignored. “Shall we?” Henry brushed down the front of his black tom ford suit, the blazer a little too big for him which had Alex wondering if that was a deliberate choice, something for the prince to hide behind. “After you.” He added, gesturing with his arm for Alex to go first.
For all his show of confidence in the lobby, knowing he was about to spend an entire night with Henry had his body burning again and nausea waving over him. He could put on a show , he would put on the performance of his life, but whether the two would survive it without causing another international incident?
Alex didn’t have high hopes.