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firenati0n · 3 days

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the full spectrum of human emotion

by firenati0n on ao3

M | Chapter 1/6 : 7.2k

tags: the proposal au, the proposal (2009 movie) fusion, fake relationship, fake marriage, marriage of convenience, relationship speedrun, banter, flirting, not-quite-enemies-to-lovers

Alex grips his hand tighter. They’re going to need to have a long, hard conversation in the next five minutes, or else Alex is going to combust right here in Pez’s fancy office. Explode for all of Midtown Manhattan to see. Here lies what remains of Alex, for all the world to witness—taken out by a rogue marriage proposal from his evil boss-turned-fiancé.

Or: Working under editor Henry Fox-Mountchristen was only supposed to be Step One in Alex’s plan of achieving his big dreams—but when his boss winds up facing an even bigger problem, potential deportation, Alex finds he isn’t just a beleaguered assistant anymore. He’s the solution.

It’s fine. They only have to fool his friends, and his family, the United States Government…and themselves.

xoxo roop

sappy thoughts and tags under the cut <3

this is my first longfic and i owe its existence to a lot of people, but really if it hadn't been for me having a dream about it and @kiwiana-writes saying "write it and I'll cheerlead"...it would not exist. period. i fucking love you MJ. you are literally the best and i wouldn't even have an ao3 if it weren't for you so. everyone say THANK YOU MJ

tagging some folks who have expressed interest in the past:

@cha-melodius @rmd-writes @dumbpeachjuice @slowlyfoggydestiny @heysweetheart-writes

@anincompletelist @anchoredarchangel @ninzied @welcometololaland @stratocumulusperlucidus

@onthewaytosomewhere @hgejfmw-hgejhsf @suseagull04 @violetbaudelaire-quagmire @dragonflylady77

@onward--upward @junebugclaremontdiaz @celeritas2997 @14carrotghoul @itsmaybitheway @bigassbowlingballhead

@whimsymanaged @littlestar2911 @saturntheday @affectionatelyrs @happiness-of-the-pursuit

@priincebutt @duchessdepolignaca03 @blueeyedgrlwrites @theprinceandagcd @sail-not-drift

@nontoxic-writes @cultofsappho @alasse9 @ships-to-sail @galitzine-nick

@lightninghitsground @sherryvalli @changinghearts @seanchaidh7 @bambinick

#roop writes #fic: tfsohe #rwrb fic #fics #rwrb #rwrb fanfiction #fanfiction #my post

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ninzied · 1 day

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took your time to make you mine

henry takes alex as his plus-one to a wedding. only one of them seems to know it's a date. 3.1k.

Henry hadn’t thought twice about asking Alex to come with him.

Pez, of course, has had quite a few thoughts about it indeed. But it just makes good sense to Henry; he’s not dating anyone at the moment, and Alex is his best friend. And if Henry’s not dating anyone because he’s secretly in love with said best friend, well, that is neither here nor there, as far as Henry is concerned.

“It’s a wedding, Hazza,” Pez exclaims, as if Henry's the one who needs clarification. “You don’t bring a man on a date to a wedding and expect it not to mean something. That man in particular.”

“It’s not a date,” Henry says firmly. “It’s a plus-one. Besides,” and he goes on to explain yet again that the wedding itself is a total non-issue. The ceremony is for close relatives only, and Henry is more of a family friend of the bride’s important uncle or some such like that.

The reception, which is to be held at the very top of the Rockefeller Plaza, is what they’ve been invited to, and at that point it’s more like any other party, which, Alex has dragged Henry to plenty of those, so what’s the big deal, really?

“I’m certainly under no illusions as to what this night is or is not. Besides, Alex is totally oblivious anyway.” Henry says this with a mixture of both relief and despair. Sometimes he wishes Alex would get wise to the fact if only to put Henry out of his misery.

He seriously doubts today will be that day.

Pez looks thoughtful. And then he smiles and says, “You know what, I think it’s a brilliant idea. Carry on,” and that’s when Henry starts to wonder if he shouldn’t rethink the whole thing after all.

ao3.

#rwrb #red white and royal blue #rwrbedit #rwrbsource #firstprince #firstprince fic #rwrb fic #rwrb fanfic #firstprince fanfic #usernuria #iuserzoe #chrissiewatts #userveronika #usersteen #carrythesky

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kiwiana-writes · 23 hours

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LIKE LOVING THE STARS THEMSELVES

by @kiwiana-writes

[rated E, 7,219 words]

When he emerges out the other end of the alleyway and almost runs straight into a solid blue wall that wasn’t there last time he visited this area of town, Henry assumes his wandering thoughts have conjured an illusion. He blinks, and blinks again, but it’s still there: NORA’s unassuming back wall, the broken chameleon circuit now over thirty centuries out of date to blend into her surroundings the way she’s supposed to, her anomalous presence a wrench in Henry’s carefully laid plans. Alex is here.

Or, Alex is a Time Lord, and time is complicated; Henry keeps meeting him out of order, and it's been a while.

Read it now on AO3!

Note: you absolutely do not need to be familiar with Doctor Who, or with the episode The Husbands of River Song, to follow this fic! I got multiple non-DW folks to read through it to make sure 😁 If you ARE familiar with Doctor Who, though, there are definitely some easter eggs in here for you!

#kiwiana-writes #fic: like loving the stars themselves #rwrb fic #rwrb fanfic #rwrb fanfiction #firstprince

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anincompletelist · 3 days

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l’échappatoire

A sea of dark curls. Warm, kind eyes. A slanted, smiling mouth, a dimple carved into the side. One hand holding a tall, steaming coffee, the other a mug full of Henry’s favorite tea. A whisper, a brush of fingertips in the trade off. The more important details. “Hey, sweetheart.” It’d be something out of Henry’s most treasured fantasies if he didn’t already know they’d be the last words this man ever says. -- (Henry fixes anomalies in other people's timelines. It's quite predictable and impersonal work for the most part. Save for when it seems intent on unraveling his own, of course.)

[M, 22k, time travel/magical realism, character study]

#my fic #rwrb fic #red white and royal blue fanfic #firstprince #Alex x Henry

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sparklepocalypse · 1 day

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Hello again! I'm back to my Posting Very Late On Sunday Shenanigans. Thank you to @firenati0n, @heysweetheart-writes, @zwiazdziarka, @blueeyedgrlwrites, @orchidscript, aaaaand

@kiwiana-writes for the tags today! (Congrats on being the winner of your very own @ mention line today, MJ!)

Because my brain is an asshole, I've got even more himbo!Alex for you today!

Henry wants to know what Alex’s smile feels like against his lips, his tongue. “Kiss me,” he blurts, immediately second-guessing the request when Alex freezes. “Oh, thank fuck,” Alex mutters after a moment. “Thought you weren’t into kissing, or you were saving your lips for marriage or some weird rich white person shit like—” “Alex,” Henry interjects impatiently, “you can roast my lineage later.” “I can multitask,” Alex declares, but he slants his mouth across Henry’s all the same.

I haven't seen tags from the following handful of folks, so I'm cold-calling @priincebutt, @cha-melodius, @duchessdepolignaca03, @thinkof-england, and @hgejfmw-hgejhsf today, but as always my tag is super duper open!

#red white and royal blue #rwrb #rwrb fic #my fic #alex claremont diaz #henry hanover stuart fox #alex x henry #firstprince #rwrb movie #wip: himbo!alex

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iboatedhere · 1 day

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Thank you @maxbegone @lemonlyman-dotcom @blueeyedgrlwrites & @suseagull04 for the tag♥️

—

Alex snorts. “What are you, a prude?”

Henry slides his hand down Alex’s cock and cradles his balls in the palm of his hand, squeezing them gently.

“I don’t know,” he says while Alex chokes on nothing. “Am I?”

Alex recovers enough to grin and throw his arms around Henry’s neck. “Fuck off and make me come.”

—

Tagging: @cha-melodius @jmagnabo92 @anincompletelist @orchidscript @piratefalls

@porcelainmortal @bitbybitwrites @henryspearl @inexplicablymine @oxfordslutphase

@fullsunsets @sunshinestrand @cricketnationrise @accol-fics @liminalmemories21

@luainthewild @youcancallmekathyp

#rwrb #rwrb fic #FirstPrince #FirstPrince fic #seven sentence sunday #doctors AU

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caterpills · 2 days

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Some Sentence Sunday!

Time for another six(ish) seven some sentence Sunday! I'm going to borrow the open tag from @kiwiana-writes this week! (Hope you don't mind!)

Still working on this publicist!Alex/author!Henry fic, which now has a title and more words plugged into it. Here's a scene from a later chapter, because "antagonizing" your "sworn enemy" over email before going on tour together is totally Normal Behavior™.

Alex decides on a different approach: he's going to be annoying about it. They are going to have a conversation, so fucking help him, even if Alex is going to be carrying it on, one-sided. So, he emails Henry about every little thing he can think of because Alex is nothing, if not thorough, in his work. Snacks for the plane? Are you a salty or sweet kind of guy? Do you have a preferred pen to sign with? Most people I work with use Sharpies, but there's an occasional Ball-Point Truther out there and you seem like you'd be particular about it. Your bio from like five years ago (do you update this thing at all?) says you write at least two pages a day. Do you have Do Not Disturb writing time that I should avoid? Food allergies? I'm pro at using an EpiPen but I would rather not have to resort to life-saving maneuvers mid-air. Alex sends all of these as separate emails. It's a dick move to spam Henry's inbox. He is aware. But he's feeling spiteful, and Alex loves doing things out of spite.

Open tag for those that want to! ❤️

#some sentence sunday #rwrb #rwrb fic #firstprince fic #firstprince #fic: this is more of a comment than a question

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ships-to-sail · 2 days

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gently dusts off mic Hiiii, friends! Long time, no post, so thank you so much for all your tags in the intervening time -- I'm so so loving scrolling back through and getting caught up on all the deliciousness y'all are working on!

Not going to lie, for a whole myriad of reasons, the words have been few and far between lately, so I'm afraid all I have for you is more of the rival baker AU @firenati0n basically double-dog dared me to write! I'm crossing fingers and toes that this week ahead means a return of the muse, so to speak, so I can finally smash out more progress on this little lady! Until then, tags are (as always) under the cut, and I hope you enjoy!

He crosses the room quickly, slamming the flat of his palm against the crossbar and practically charging into the alley. He’s expecting to find Henry waiting for him. What he’s not expecting is for Henry to be waiting for him, hands balling into the front of Alex’s bright red t-shirt as soon as he’s through the doorway, spinning him backwards and pushing him into the far wall of the alley. His calves slam into a pile of dissembled cardboard boxes and he can feel the scrape of brick through the cotton fabric, but he’s not able to think past the press of Henry’s mouth to his, the smell of fresh flour and lemon mingling with the slightly stale and rancid smell of alleys the world over. He puts his hands on Henry’s shoulders and pushes, but is betrayed by his own horniness as his mouth continues to follow Henry’s, desperate to continue even as his hands attempt to extricate him from the kiss. Another few seconds and Alex bites gently on Henry’s bottom lip before pulling his face away. The cold air that rushes into the space between them feels like a particular slap in the face. “Ho-hold on, this is —” Henry’s eyes open again and it’s like the reality of where they are slams into him like a train. He drops Alex’s shirt and jumps back practically to the door. One hand tugs through his hair, and the other wraps around his middle defensively. “Oh my God, Alex, I am so sorry, that was so inappropriate. Bloody hell, I don’t even know what I was thinking, I just felt so bad about leaving this morning without saying anything but I was already so late and you looked so comfortable asleep and I panicked and—” “Jesus, Henry, take a breath,” Alex says, taking a few deep breaths in and out through his nose in demonstration. “It’s fine.” Henry just looks at him, brow raised. “Fine?” Alex shrugs. “Okay, no, it’s weird and I didn’t come over here anticipating a surprise make-out in a trash filled alley, but. Like. On the grand cosmic scale, you had my dick in your mouth last night so. It’s fine.”

@affectionatelyrs @anchoredarchangel @anincompletelist @clottedcreamfudge @cricketnationrise @cultofsappho @daisymae-12 @everwitch-magiks @getmehighonmagic @happiness-of-the-pursuit @indestructibleheart @indomitable-love @inexplicablymine @leaves-of-laurelin @lizzie-bennetdarcy-afterdark @myheartalivewrites @notspecialbabe @orchidscript @rmd-writes @sparklepocalypse @ssmtskw @stereopticons @tintagel-or-cockleshells @welcometololaland @whimsymanaged @kiwiana-writes

#red white & royal blue #rwrb #six sentence sunday #rival bakers AU #ships stories #fanfiction #rwrb fic

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suseagull04 · 2 days

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Thanks @welcometololaland for the tag!

More Divergent AU... I'm going to express my apologies now 🙈

It was just like two years ago all over again, being at Selection Saturday and June choosing to be in Erudite despite all their family, all she and Alex, had been through.

It was her choice, though, so instead of yelling and screaming, fighting for them like he had two years ago, he fell silent, letting her hug him before she left.

Alex was still reeling from the betrayal when his dad came up to him. “Mijo, I've decided to move out to California.”

Alex stared at him, mouth agape. No one moved out of their city. No one. Who did his dad think he was?

Haven't seen many people do this yet today, so no pressure tags for @anincompletelist @blueeyedgrlwrites @cha-melodius @celaestis1 @celeritas2997 @cha-melodius @daisymae-12 @emmalostinwonderland @everwitch-magiks @firenati0n @gayrootvegetable @hgejfmw-hgejhsf @happiness-of-the-pursuit @heysweetheart-writes @iboatedhere @inexplicablymine @leaves-of-laurelin @myheartalivewrites @msmarvelouswinchester @ninzied @onthewaytosomewhere @theprinceandagcd @read-and-write- @raysletters @smc-27 @ships-to-sail @sherryvalli @thesleepyskipper (happy birthday!!!!) @tailsbeth-writes @tintagel-or-cockleshells @violetbaudelaire-quagmire @wordsofhoneydew @zwiazdziarka @14carrotghoul and open tag for anyone who wants it!

#rwrb fic #firstprince #fanfiction #rwrb #writing #alex claremont diaz #prince henry rwrb #rwrb fanfiction #red white and royal blue fic #red white and royal blue fanfiction #firstprince fic #firstprince fanfiction #redwhiteandroyalblue #red white & royal blue #henry fox #henry fox mountchristen windsor #six sentence sunday #suseagull04 writes

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maxbegone · 2 days

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happy sunday! i hope you're enjoying the spring sunshine if you're able, because it's raining by me. if i've never said it before, i'll say it now: i'm bad at math and that's why these things are never seven sentences long.

“Listen, man, I’m beat and kind of defeated right now, so whatever it is you’re doing here right now is killing the vibe.”

“What vibe?”

“Wallowing in peace,” Alex clips.

“Oh. Would you like to talk about it?” Henry nods at the stern look that gets sent his way. “Noted.”

Alex gets approximately thirty seconds of quiet before Henry speaks up again.

“I suppose this isn’t entirely the best way to go about things.”

Alex makes a noise. “Ya think?”

“Look, I don’t want things to continue to be awkward between us,” Henry says and, okay, clearly the memo went right over his head. “I’d like to be friends if I haven’t completely fucked this all up.”

“You know you pulled away from me, right?” Alex glares at him pointedly. “Things started to get real and you spooked and said you needed to focus on your duties before Lord Dickwad upstairs found out and did something. I get that I’m the Hades Kid, or whatever, Henry, but I’m Alex before I’m any of that. And I know you know that just as well as I do.”

“I do.”

“And I don’t need protection.”

“You don’t.”

“Glad to know we’re on the same page.”

tagging @rmd-writes @kiwiana-writes @indestructibleheart @iboatedhere and whoever else would like to share ♥️

#rwrb #rwrb fic #firstprince #seven sentence sunday

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firenati0n · 2 days

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several sentence sunday <3 :)

hello friends :) thank you to @ships-to-sail @indestructibleheart @suseagull04 @zwiazdziarka @blueeyedgrlwrites

@miss-minnelli @kiwiana-writes @rmd-writes @welcometololaland for the tags <3

I FINALLY POSTED CHAPTER ONE of the full spectrum of human emotion aka the proposal au that I've been posting snippets of for an eternity and a half. it's my first multichapter so i am Nervous but...onward and upward! YEEHAW!

here's a snip from proposal au (all snips here). yeah yeah it's nine sentences okay HERE YOU GO <3 :

Alex enters the car, fighting to hold onto the pole. There's no way he has time to stand in line at the busy artisanal tea shop Henry makes him go to—his delicate tastebuds can't stand the subpar garbage the rest of the plebeians consume. He makes a game-time decision he hopes won’t bite him in the ass in about thirty minutes, using his free hand to tap the Starbucks app and quickly place a mobile order at the one next to the office before he loses his internet connection, and is forced to instead brave the storm of harried New Yorkers wanting their fuel for the morning. He hopes it doesn’t come to that. He can't afford another mishap after last week. Once he's out of the subway station, Alex sprints first to the tea shop, dipping inside only to ask his regular barista for two of their to-go cups and lids, throwing a “Thank you!” over his shoulder at her confused face. He goes next door to Starbucks, picks up his three drinks and snacks, and quickly empties the Starbucks Earl Grey into the Fancy Schmancy Tea Shop to-go cups, fastening the lid with a snap. Alex prays for the second time that morning. Please, please, please, let the Tea Gods be merciful today in helping trick Henry's elitist taste buds.

xoxo roop

+ tags below the cut and open tag as always <3

@ninzied @priincebutt @leaves-of-laurelin @eusuntgratie @bigassbowlingballhead

@getmehighonmagic @violetbaudelaire-quagmire @cha-melodius @cricketnationrise @orchidscript

@myheartalivewrites @dumbpeachjuice @anchoredarchangel @sparklepocalypse @anincompletelist

@wordsofhoneydew @nocoastposts @tintagel-or-cockleshells @sherryvalli @lizzie-bennetdarcy

@heysweetheart-writes @onward--upward @celeritas2997 @inexplicablymine @affectionatelyrs

@happiness-of-the-pursuit @littlemisskittentoes @14carrotghoul @cultofsappho @alasse9

@nontoxic-writes @hgejfmw-hgejhsf @piratefalls @mikibwrites @porcelainmortal

@captainjunglegym @itsmaybitheway @tailsbeth-writes @adreamareads

@duchessdepolignaca03 @onthewaytosomewhere

#narrator: the tea gods were on holiday #fic: tfsohe #roop writes #several sentence sunday #rwrb fic #fics #rwrb #alex you sweet summer child

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seanchaidh7 · 2 months

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Henry & Alex - from Rule Britannia by @duchessdepolignaca03

His breath hitched in his throat as Henry let his kimono slide off his shoulders, tantalizingly down his arms, until they were pooled just above his elbow, revealing most of his back to Alex.

Henry’s skin was perfect and smooth, soft and pale, pristine but for the collection of freckles. Alex couldn’t help his fingers reaching out and drawing lines between Henry’s freckles. Henry didn’t stop him, though he could feel the pleasant shiver running up Henry’s spine, the way his spine flexed and contorted slightly. The idea that Henry was ticklish made him sigh happily, finally breathing.

After a few moments, Henry let out a little laugh. “The aftersun, dear. Don’t skimp.”

Right.

#red white and royal blue #rwrb #rwrb art #alex and henry #alex claremont diaz #henry mountchristen windsor #prince henry #first prince #henry fox #nicholas galitzine #taylor zakhar perez #my art #rwrb fic #seanchaidh7

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ninzied · 1 month

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green things

alex kisses henry to make another guy jealous. that’s it. no other reason. based on a prompt for @onthewaytosomewhere. modern au. 1.9k.

“You’re quiet tonight,” Pez remarks, halfway through one of the worst house parties Alex has been to in his life. Seriously; he’s been to so many, and none of the others even compare. “Something on your mind?”

Yes. “No.” Alex takes a sip of his drink and goes casually back to not looking at Henry.

He’s kind of not really been okay-totally-watching-them all night, and it’s fine. It’s fine, because it doesn’t matter who Henry talks to, what matters is that he looks happy, and animated, and hasn’t stopped smiling.

He hasn’t stopped smiling all night.

“Hey, so, who’s the guy?” Alex asks.

Pez glances over. “Ah—yes, that’s a visiting prof in Henry’s department. Hazza talks about him quite a lot, actually.”

Alex grits his teeth so hard he’s surprised that none of them crack. “Does he.” He refrains from adding under his breath, Well, I’ve never heard of him.

“All the time, as a matter of fact,” Pez continues. He doesn’t even sound like he’s had to exaggerate. “And with good reason. It’s not even that he’s easy on the eyes, though there is that too. He’s already accomplished so much in the field despite being our age, from what I understand.”

“I see,” Alex says as neutrally as possible. He’s starting to see a lot from where he’s standing, actually, and he doesn’t like it. Like, at all.

Pez raises a perfectly shaped eyebrow at him. “Do I spy something green?”

“No,” Alex says quickly, too quickly this time. “Nope. Definitely not.”

“Well, if you say so.” Pez pops an hors d’oeuvre in his mouth and chews, surveying the room like it’s his own private theatre. Like he’s waiting for something. Like he has a vision. It’s both impressive and disconcerting to see.

As if on cue, someone comes up to Mister Accomplished and claps a hand on his stupid-broad shoulder, drawing his attention away. He flashes Henry a grin—one that’s way too white and with too many teeth, in Alex’s opinion—before walking off and leaving Henry alone in the corner.

Henry, who’s no longer smiling as he closes his eyes and sags at the shoulders. He tilts his glass back and drinks.

Well, fuck. Alex can’t even be glad anymore that the guy has just left because now he wants to punch him for it.

“Douchebag much?” he mutters under his breath.

“Oh, most excellent,” Pez is saying at the same time. “Couldn’t have planned the thing better myself.” He clears his throat, all business-like all of a sudden. “It appears that our poppet is in need of assistance. Are you up to the task, Alexander?”

“Wait.” But Alex finds himself getting pulled along by the sheer force of Pez’s will before he’s even finished speaking. “What task, exactly?”

Pez looks two seconds away from rubbing his hands together like some kind of cartoon villain. “Nothing like making a man jealous to finally spur him into action.”

Alex sputters; didn’t he just say that he wasn’t—? But then he catches the pointed look Pez gives Mister Accomplished again. Oh. That guy. Then: “Wait, that guy?”

“Nothing gets past you, does it,” says Pez.

Alex makes a wild gesture. “You want me to make that guy jealous. Fucking how?”

Pez lets out a long-suffering sigh. “The fact that I must spell it out for you really does explain a lot, actually.”

“A lot about what?”

“One kiss ought to do it, I think,” Pez muses, almost to himself.

Alex swallows. Flirting with Henry every day like he does is one thing. Harmless, mostly, unless you count feeling heartsick that Henry never looks at him the same way.

What Pez is suggesting, though, may be the thing that tips Alex fully over into heartbreak territory.

“I don’t, um.” He clears his throat and glances toward Henry, who’s gazing into his now-empty glass. “What makes you think he’ll be down with this plan?”

“Absolutely nothing, he would never. Which is why we must be quick about it.”

“But,” Alex starts to protest.

“Alex.” Pez says his name like he’s scolding a child who’s being too selfish. “Don’t you want to see Henry happy?”

“More than anything,” says Alex, too honestly. Fuck.

“Then trust me on this,” says Pez, in the voice of a person who’s not to be trusted at all, before opening his arms wide and beaming. “Hazza, darling.”

“Oh, thank God,” says Henry, glancing up as they approach. “I need another one of whatever this was.”

“I have a better idea,” Pez sing-songs, then looks askance at Alex. “Unless, of course, someone’s getting cold feet. I can always ask if dear old Hunter’s available, I think I saw him by the—”

“No, I’ll do it,” Alex says instantly. “I’ll take one for the team.”

“Yes, a big sacrifice on your part,” Pez murmurs, and Alex shoots him a sharp little glare. Henry scrunches his brow, looking between the two of them in something like concerned confusion.

“Alex? What’s going on?” he prompts carefully as Alex marches up to him, taking a breath. He’s determined to do this for Henry, no matter the cost to himself.

“All right. I’m ready,” Alex says solemnly. “Lay it on me, Fox.”

“Sorry,” says Henry, “I still have no idea what we’re talking about?”

“Babe,” and Alex takes Henry’s face in his hands, “Don’t even worry. I’m here to make all your dreams come true.”

Henry stands frozen as Alex presses their mouths firmly together. There’s a second that lasts half a lifetime in which Alex thinks he’s made a terrible mistake.

And then Henry’s lips soften—wow, fuck, they are really soft, actually—and then he’s kissing Alex back and so hard that Alex stagger-steps, almost knocking a chair over as he pulls Henry even closer.

He tries not to totally lose it when he feels Henry’s fingers thread through his hair, or the hitch in Henry’s breath when their lips part and their tongues meet.

It occurs to him that they probably shouldn’t be kissing like this while surrounded by all their work colleagues. Alex doesn’t really care. All he cares about is how devastated he’ll be once it’s over.

Henry is the first to pull back. He’s breathless and smiling, and Alex’s heart hurts like fucking hell but this is what he wanted, right? To see Henry this happy?

Alex puts his hands on Henry’s waist, which, fuck, he shouldn’t have done that; now he thinks he might never let go. His breath comes up short as he gasps into the space between them, “Is he watching?”

Henry blinks. His smile falters a little. “Is who watching, Alex?”

“The guy you were talking to. I was trying to make him jealous.” Alex can’t bring himself to see if he’s noticed. Alex thinks he would rather die than look away from Henry right now. All he wants is to kiss him again even though he probably shouldn’t. “Do you think it worked? Henry?”

Henry has gone very still in his arms. The expression on his face is glazed over, distant. “That’s why you kissed me? To make someone jealous?”

Fuck, they really should’ve talked about this first. Fuck. “Yeah?” Alex winces.

“That man specifically? I didn’t even know you two were acquainted.” Henry heaves out a breath, looking strangely like he might be sick. “So you—you like him, then?”

“What? No, of course I don’t like him. I don’t even know him,” says Alex. Henry isn’t making any sense. “I thought you liked him.” Unless…shit. Unless Henry just doesn’t want them both liking the same guy?

Henry just stares at him for a long time. He’s looking kind of like Alex is the one who’s lost it. “You what?” Henry says finally.

“I thought you liked him,” Alex repeats, but this time it comes out as more of a question.

“You thought I liked him,” Henry says for emphasis. “That man.” Like there’s some other guy Alex could possibly be talking about right now.

“Apparently,” says Alex. He realizes he’s clutched the sides of Henry’s shirt and wills his fingers to loosen a little. It feels like some kind of miracle that Henry hasn’t shoved him away yet. “And then you looked so sad when he went to talk to other people, and I thought, I don’t know, that I’d help? Pez said you talk about him all the time, so…” Wait. Wait a minute.

Henry breathes out. Something solidifies in his expression, like he’s just worked through a math problem of his own. “Hmm,” he says in a weirdly calm tone. “Did he, now.”

“Yeah,” Alex says slowly. “He…” What else was it that Pez had said? Nothing like making a man jealous to finally…

Wow. Okay. Well-played, Okonjo.

“I see.” Henry looks pointedly around for Pez, who’s conveniently nowhere in sight at the moment. “Percy didn’t also happen to mention the fact that the man’s an absolute bellend who’s been gatekeeping my department’s research funding? That I’m thus woefully obligated to kiss the ground he walks on at parties?”

Ah. “He…did not,” Alex allows. “So, just to be clear, you don’t? Like him?”

“Christ, no,” Henry says firmly, and Alex feels something light in his chest flutter and try to take flight.

“Anyway,” Henry goes on, looking all sober now for some reason, “I ought to apologize on Pez’s behalf. He really was only trying to help, in his way. He knows how I feel about—well.” He flushes. “And I’m sorry, too, for kissing you like that. I was under a very different impression as to what it, um. Actually meant.”

“Yeah, hold up.” Alex straightens. “You kissed me back.” Henry looks cautiously on as Alex starts smiling and can’t seem to stop. “You had no idea and you still kissed me back.”

Henry goes a shade pinker each time Alex says the words. “Yes, well,” Henry says faintly. “I believe what you said was something about making all my dreams come true? Which I did take at face value.”

Alex tightens his hold on Henry again. Definitely not letting him go after that. “Henry,” he says. “You’re my fucking dream, are you kidding?”

“I—” Henry gazes at him. His smile is soft with something like wonder. “You’re serious?”

“How do you think Pez got to me?” Alex wants to know. “Do you have any idea how jealous I was of that guy when I thought you were into him?”

“Mm.” Henry tilts his head. “Yet you kissed me fully believing that it would, what, drive him so mad that he’d throw himself into my arms?”

“I did.” Alex takes both of Henry’s hands into his. “I want you. Henry. But I think I want you so much that the only thing I want more is for you to be happy.”

Henry’s eyes are bright and so very, very blue. “And if I told you that they’re one and the same?”

Alex is smiling so hard that it hurts. He never wants to stop feeling like this. “Then I guess that guy can be jealous all he wants,” Alex shrugs, bringing Henry’s hands up to his shoulders. “Because he can’t have your arms now, they’re mine.”

“Noted,” says Henry, mock-seriously. “Anything else you wish to claim while you’re at it?”

“Actually,” says Alex, “yeah, just so we’re clear,” and he pulls Henry back in for a kiss.

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