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“I don’t believe you.”
“It’s true,” Alex throws his hands up in defence. “Nora can back me up, she’s literally the one who taught me.”
Nora glances over at Henry and Alex from Alex’s bed where she’s currently sitting, June’s head in her lap. With a sigh, she reluctantly agrees with Alex. “Henry, you know how much I love to prove Alex wrong, but sadly this is true.” Henry opens his mouth as to say something but closes it again.
Henry, Alex, Nora, June and Pez were all huddled in Alex’s bedroom for one last sleepover before college. June had graduated a year before the rest, and is there mostly to supervise. In one short week Henry and Alex would stuffing Alex’s old beat up truck with bags and boxes in various sizes and embark on the journey from Austin, Texas all the way to New York City where they’d be attending NYU together. Pez was also going to NYU but refused to drive there, opting to take the considerably shorter plane ride. A part of Henry was happy that he’d get to spend two days alone with Alex, but also scared of what he might do.
See Henry had been in-love with Alex since practically the day they’d met. Henry had moved to Texas when he was 11 and his father had gotten a movie deal there, and Alex had lived in the house right next to Henry’s. When they were 12 and Alex’s parents had gotten divorced Alex used the tree between their houses to climb into Henry’s bedroom, where Henry would play with his hair till Alex fell asleep, sobbing in Henry’s arms. Henry had done the same when his father passed.
“Y’know Henry, I can show you if you’d like. I'm pretty sure my mom bought some cherries when she went to the farmer’s market the other day,” the way Alex leaned in close and whispered into Henry’s ear sent a shiver done his spine. His breath was hot, and he smelled like summer and home .
“You don’t have to, I believe you know,” Henry protested but Alex was already on his feet and on his way down the stairs.
“Henry, boy, you are down bad,” Henrys head shot in Pez direction and sent him a stern glare. “Whoa, calm down tiger. Its obvious to anyone with eyes that you two have some major sexual tension,” Henry sent Pez another look, but he couldn’t deny it.
“Seriously, when are you guys going to fuck?” Nora said, earning an elbow in the stomach from June.
"Hey, don’t talk about my brother like that when I’m around,” Nora gave her an apologetic look and June tuned her head towards Henry. “But Henry, I do agree with them a little. I know you're scared but I really think you should tell him how you feel, her gaze softens. “I honestly think he feels the same about you too, if that’s any comfort,” Henry’s eyes shift at the sound of the door being opened. And Alex walks in with a plastic container full of cherries.
“Who has a crush on Henry?” He says, plopping down on the beanbag next to Henry.
“No one, it’s nothing,” Henry looks down at his feet.
“Okay, I'll drop it,” Alex grabs a cherry and sucks of the red fruit into his mouth. Henry has to physically tear his eyes from the way Alex's lips wrap around it. “Anyway, ready to watch the magic happen?” Alex locks eyes with Henry and Henry nods in response, scared of what might come out of his opens his mouth.
Alex places the cherry stem between his teeth and moves his tongue around for a few seconds before sticking out his tongue and showing off the now tied stem. And Henry, well Henry thinks he might scream. The room suddenly feels very hot and his jeans are slightly tighter than usual. In panic Henry scrambles to his feet and stand up a little too quickly, almost falling over. “I- I have to use the bathroom, I’ll be right back,” Henry says before bolting out the room, leaving everyone confused.
Henry doesn’t actually need to use the bathroom, instead making his way to the roof through the window in June’s room. Alex first showed him the spot after Henry confessed how much he missed star gazing from his balcony back home in London. At first Henry was terrified of the idea, what if he fell? Or worse what if they got stuck out there and had to wait all night for someone to come open the window? But Alex had held his hand the whole time, and suddenly it wasn’t so scary anymore.
They didn’t go out there as much anymore, but occasionally when neither of them could sleep they’d sneak past a sleeping June and climb out, laying on the cold roof and saying nothing. That was what Henry was planning on doing own, just alone, to gather his thoughts. He closed the window behind him, being careful not to shut it all the way, and lay down. It was a partially starry night, and he didn’t have much trouble finding his favourite constellation, Orion. It was the first his dad had taught him how to find, and it would always have a special spot in his heart, right next to Alexs.
Speaking of Alex, the creaking sound of the window opening drew Henry’s attention, but he didn’t dare look, he knew who it was. Henry felt the warmth of a body laying down next to his, but Alex didn’t say anything, he didn’t need to. And then the thing Henry dreaded the most happened, the click of the window shutting played in his ears. “ Fuck ,” he muttered to himself, turning his head towards the window, and towards Alex.
“Um, I think we might be stuck.”
“Yeah no shit sherlock,” Alex sighed, sitting up slightly. “And there’s no point in trying to open it, this house is like a million years old. Do you have your phone with you? I left mine in my room.”
Henry patted his jeans pockets but felt nothing. “No, I must’ve also left mine in your room. Do you think anyone will come looking for us?” Alex turned his head to meet Henrys gaze.
“No, not for at least an hour,” shit Henry muttered under his breath. “Now do you tell me why you left so frantically? You clearly didn’t need to use the bathroom unless you like, i dont know, pissed off the roof?”
“God, Alex. No. Thats disgusting.” The way Alex laughed at his reaction made Henrys heart shutter. “To answer your question, I just needed some air.” Henry only lied a little.
“I get it, but you could’ve just said that,” Alex nudged Henry shoulder with his own. After that they fell into a comfortable silence, even when Alex pulled a joint and his lighter from his front pocket and began smoking it. Henry accepted when Alex offered him a hit, not wanting to stay sober if they were going to be stuck there till morning.
After a while Alex broke the silence. “When you left, everyone said I should go after you,” he said blowing smoke out his mouth and staring up at the sky.
“Did they say why?” Henry asked curiously, scared of the answer that might come.
“Yeah, something about us needing to talk or something. You know you can tell me anything right? If it turns out you have a boyfriend and I'm the last to know I'm not gonna be like totally pissed off.” Henry chuckled softly. “Okay, maybe a little. It’s just you're my best friend, and I want you to be able to tell me these kinds of things.” Alex turned his head towards Henry once again.
“It’s not that, and I want to tell you, it’s just-” Henry took a deep breath. “I’m scared it’s going to make you see me differently.”
“I already know you’re like 10th cousins with the queen, and that you’re gay so I really don’t think anything else you say can surprise me.” Alex takes a finally hit of the joint before putting it out on the roof.
“Do you promise this won’t change anything between us?” Alex nodded. “Alex I’m- I like you.” Alex looks confused. “As in like like. Like I want to hold your hand in public and kiss you when you say something stupid, and I totally get if you don’t feel the-” Henry is suddenly cut off by the feeling of warm lips pressed against his own. Alexs lips to be specific, the lips he’s wanted to kiss for years and he barley has any time to react before Alex is pulling away.
“Shit, fuck, sorry. It’s just you look so cute when you’re rambling, but like I totally get if I overstepped and-” This time it’s Henry who cuts Alex off with a kiss. And it’s perfect, it’s soft but yet has so much emotion behind it that Henry is a bit sad when it has to end.
“Never apologise for kissing me again, got it?”
“Does that mean there will be a next time?” Alex’s grin is sly and Henry is just about to kiss him again when the window opens. June, Nora and Pez all standing on the other side of it.
“So you guys finally get your heads out of your arses and realise you’re both hopelessly in-love with one another?”
“Nora,” June hisses elbowing her in the ribs.
“Shit, if you guys didn’t just ignore what I said.” Alex laughs at this, which makes Henry laugh as well as blush like crazy.
“If you guys must know, we did. Now please let us back inside its freezing out here,” Alex pushes past Nora, June and Pez, climbing back inside before holding a hand out for Henry. Henry gladly accepts it.
Once they're back inside Alex’s room, alone this time. They lay on his bed and laugh while talking about the time an old lady at a mexican restaurant had mistaken them for boyfriends and how they basically were.
“I gotta admit when she said that I almost shit my pants because I had the biggest crush on you and was so scared you’d find out,” Henry grins to himself, looking down at Alex who’s laying halfway on top of him.
“I think that was when I started developing feeling for you too, and it honestly made me happy,” they lock eyes and Henry feels his face soften.
“Really?”
“Yeah,” even in the dark Henry can see the blush spread across Alex’s face. “Henry, will you make me the happiest person alive and be my boyfriend?” Henry’s grin take up almost his entire face.
“Yes, I’d love to.”