Chapter Text
As much as Henry begs Alex to leave it alone, he just can’t. He sits next to Henry at the table of the diner they’re in, holding his left hand up in front of their faces to take a selfie. Alex has a pout while Henry just looks unimpressed.
unfortunately Henry has not put a ring on it and we are in fact not yet married. Bea just already acts like an annoying big sister, she’s spent too much time with June
“You’re an absolute menace,” Henry murmurs, kissing Alex’s cheek. “We could’ve ignored it and they would’ve moved on eventually.”
Alex rolls his eyes. “First of all, when have I ever just ignored something? Second of all, you know damn well they would not have let this drop. They’re too invested and I love feeding into this. It brings me joy. Maybe I should buy a fake ring.”
“Please do not,” Henry sighs, rubbing his face. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you, darling.”
“I feel like I should apologize, but Alex is enjoying this too much,” Bea giggles softly. “I vote buying a fake ring to freak people out. It’ll freak Pip out the most, honestly.”
“See? She gets it!”
Henry looks between his sister and his boyfriend, glancing over at June for help. “Care to intervene?”
“I’ve learned long ago that attempting to stop Alex is a waste of my time,” June says simply. “Once he sets his mind to something, he’s not budging. Which is why I think he’s going to last a total of five minutes at home before he tells mom he’s moving in with you.”
“We need to decide on when before I tell mom,” Alex sighs. “I don’t know how she’s going to react. She’s still hovering from time to time, even though I’m fully healed. It’s been like seven months and she still freaks out if I don’t answer my phone on the first call.”
“Maybe she’d feel better if she knew you’d have me here in New York with you,” she murmurs. “I was offered an internship here. I could take it, move here.”
Alex frowns a little. “I don’t need you to babysit me, June. I mean, I’m happy for you on the internship, but I don't want you to choose to move here for me. You already gave up California to stay in DC with me.”
“Alex, this is an internship with the New York Times. I’m not going to get a better offer anywhere else. I had planned on taking it before I even knew Henry was moving here. I just didn’t know how to tell you I was leaving DC.”
“Oh.” Alex looks down at his water, blinking slowly. He knows June has always done her best to take care of him- has gone out of her way to be there for him his entire life. It wasn’t a feeling he ever got used to. He always felt like he was holding her back. Even now, hearing that she was struggling to tell him she was moving, he wasn’t sure how to feel about it. “Looks like we have to tell mom that both of her kids are moving out.”
-
When they get back to the White House, Henry makes his way to Alex’s room with their bags. Pez had stayed in New York and Bea flew home, leaving just the four of them to fly back to DC. Alex makes his way to his mom’s office where she’s expecting him.
“Hi, sugar, did you have fun in New York?” Ellen smiles, giving Alex a hug.
“Yeah, it was great- fun to get out for a bit after the stress of finals,” Alex murmurs. “I have something I want to talk to you about.”
“You sound serious,” she murmurs, leading them to sit on the couch. “Is everything alright?”
Alex is reminded of a time not quite a year ago when his mom cuddled him on this same couch while he came out, offering her love and support to him. It makes his heart ache a little. “Yeah, yeah, everything is fine,” he promises. “Henry is moving to New York next month.”
“Oh? Hon, that’s great! It’ll be much easier to see him.”
“And I want to move in with him,” he rushes out, biting his lip. “It doesn’t have to be right away, but I was accepted into NYU for the fall and I decided to go since Henry will be there, and I just- I think moving in with him would be easiest instead of worrying about a dorm or an apartment. I know it seems fast, but we’ve been together for like a year and a half and fuck, mom, I love him so much-“
“Alex- Alex,” Ellen says a bit loudly, grabbing Alex’s hands in hers. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. As much as I don’t want you to leave, I think it’s a good thing. You’ll be very happy with Henry.” She strokes his cheek gently. “I’m gonna miss you though.”
“I’m gonna miss you, too, mom,” Alex whispers. “I want to move in with him at the beginning of July. That way he has time to settle in, and I have time to pack up everything I need. I’ll still be home for the holidays, and I’ll come visit whenever I can. I’m only doing school part time this semester because honestly, the idea of being on campus still terrifies the shit out of me.”
“If it ends up being too much, not a single one of us would judge you for dropping,” she promises. “There’s no time limit on healing.”
Alex smiles softly. “Thank you, mom. I love you.”
“I love you, too, sugar.”
-
“She took it well, I assume?” Henry smiles softly, running his hand through Alex’s curls.
“Much better than I expected,” Alex admits. “She thinks it’s a great idea. Didn’t even try to convince me to stay here, which I feel like would’ve made me sad last year but now that I have you, I get it.”
“I do have one more fairly large piece of news to share,” Henry murmurs. “I didn’t want to tell you until it was official. I didn’t want to jinx anything.”
Alex furrows his eyebrows as he looks up at Henry. “You just bought a house. In New York. What else could possibly be going on?”
“My mum texted me while you were talking to your mum.” Henry chews on his bottom lip gently. “I’ve officially started the abdication process.”
“I’m sorry. What?”
“I’m abdicating, I don’t want the pressure that comes with being a prince anymore,” he explains. “I want to be able to just be with you. I don’t want to have to fly home every other week for royal appearances, or keep up a royal image- I just want to live in New York with my boyfriend. I want to be able to wear whatever I want, say what I want, walk around with as many visible marks as I want. My mum has been fighting to get this started. Philip and Gran have lost their minds, of course, but Bea is supporting me. Gran refuses to step down, but mum is making pretty much all the decisions now.”
“Holy shit, Henry.” Alex exhales slowly. “This is huge. And this is truly something you want? To completely give up your title?”
“Yes, of course,” Henry promises. “I want to be able to live as normal of a life as I can with you. I don’t know how long it’ll take to be complete, I’m sure Gran will try to delay it, but I want the rest of our relationship to be completely on our terms. I don’t want you to go through the shit it takes to be an official suitor. It’s fucking awful. I just want it to be us.”
“Fuck. I’m so proud of you, Henry, so fucking proud.” Alex leans up and presses their lips together gently. “I love you so much. I can’t wait to move in with you.”
-
June passes in a blur. Henry officially moves into the brownstone and tries to get settled, but he’s still flying back and forth to London multiple times a week to proceed with abdication. The hope is to have everything done by the time Alex starts school- Catherine works daily on getting everything done. By the time Alex moves in at the beginning of July, Henry is exhausted. He does what he can to help Alex move his stuff in. After half an hour, Alex banishes Henry to the bedroom to rest.
“I can get my own stuff unpacked, sweetheart, you’re dead on your feet,” Alex murmurs, kissing Henry’s cheek. “I’ll come join you in just a bit and we’ll cuddle. Then we’ll order takeout for dinner and watch a movie tonight. We can clean up tomorrow.”
“I’ve just missed you,” Henry whispers. He wraps his arms around Alex’s waist to hold him close. They hadn’t been able to see each other since Henry visited for Alex’s graduation. He tried to make it to DC more than once, but couldn’t get the time. “Can you finish unpacking tomorrow please? I just want to hold you right now.”
Alex smiles softly. “Sure, darlin’, let’s go lay down for a bit.” He lets Henry lead him to bed and crawls in with him. “You know I can never say no to you.”
“I know.” Henry wraps his arms around Alex and pulls him close, nuzzling into his curls gently, legs tangled together. “It’s so fucking nice to finally be in our own home. It just hasn’t felt like home and now it does, all because you’re here. I can’t wait to make our lives here.”
“Me, too, baby,” Alex whispers. “We get to start our own lives now. I love you so fucking much. I’m so proud of you for everything you’ve done. You’re standing up for yourself and it’s so amazing. By the end of the month, you’ll officially be free.”
“Free.” Henry lets out a small, disbelieving laugh. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without the crown breathing down my neck every second of every day. I know people will still be watching me- watching us. But I don’t have to worry about getting lectured if I leave the house with messy hair or a mark on my neck.”
“Believe me, I’m going to take advantage of that,” Alex smirks, “everyday. God, it’s gonna be so perfect. You’ll be free, mom has already won the election- we’re both free. No more expectations.”
“I love you.” Henry buries his face in Alex’s neck and nips at his skin. “If I fall asleep, I’m sorry.”
“I love you, too. Don’t apologize, just get some rest. I can’t even imagine how exhausted you must be.”
Henry falls asleep within ten minutes. Alex takes a selfie of Henry sleeping on his chest and posts it on instagram.
agcd: home sweet home at last. So happy to finally be living with the love of my life 💚
pezlikethesweets: sooo housewarming party at your place soon? @juneclaremontdiaz @noraholleran help me out??
noraholleran: @pezlikethesweets we’re in, start planning
jessmarielynn: wonder what the queen thinks about the prince living with his boyfriend in the states? Must be disappointed.
pezlikethesweets: @jessmarielynn don’t worry your pretty little head, Henry and Alex aren’t worried about what she thinks 🩷 they’re living in the 21st century, not the Middle Ages.
agcd: @pezlikethesweets behave
-
Trending: PRINCE HENRY ABDICATES FROM ROYAL FAMILY!
thesun: Prince Henry, now requesting to be known as just Henry Fox, has officially abdicated from the royal family on August 1st! “This has been a long time coming, and we’re very proud of him for standing up for himself and doing what he needs to do,” Princess Catherine says. She has been very vocal about her support for her sun, and Princess Bea has been supportive of her brother as well. While this comes as a shock to us, it seems that this was to be expected! Just last month, his boyfriend Alex Claremont-Diaz, son of the President of the United States, moved in with Henry in his New York brownstone. Henry plans to continue his work with The Okonjo Foundation, and Alex is rumored to start law school in the fall. More to come!
[image: Alex and Henry at Central Park Zoo, kissing in front of the penguins]
henryfox: Thank you for all the kind words and support that you have shown to me and Alex. I know this may have come as a shock to some, but this is something I needed to do for myself. I can’t express how grateful I am that you have loved Prince Henry for all these years, and I hope you’ll love Henry Fox just as much.
-
“I can’t fucking stand The Sun, and I hate that they were given the exclusive,” Henry mumbles, curling up in Alex’s lap on their couch. “But at least it’s out there. It’s done. I’m officially free.”
“So what are we gonna do now?” Alex hums quietly. “Post videos of us making out? Mark each other and then go out in public? Post that picture you took of my face after you fucked my throat so hard I cried?”
“You are a menace and I fucking hate you,” Henry says flatly. “You know damn well that we will be doing nothing of the sort. I may not be a prince anymore, but my mum and sister are still Princesses. I’d like to control myself a little for their sake.”
Alex nods seriously as he rubs Henry’s back. “Okay, okay. So no videos or marks. Just the picture-“
“Shut up,” Henry groans. He covers Alex’s mouth. “Am I going to have to recreate that picture to give your mouth something else to do?” Alex’s eyes light up. “Too bad, sweetheart, your sister is on her way over with Nora. We need to behave ourselves.”
“Boo, you’re no fun,” Alex pouts as soon as Henry moves his hand. “Maybe a quickie in the shower?”
“Your hair is literally still wet from your shower this morning. You are insatiable. You realize we’ve had sex every single day since you moved in, right?”
Alex raises his eyebrow. “You say that like it’s a bad thing, Henry.”
“Heathen.” Henry promptly places a pillow over Alex’s face.
-
Alex starts school in late August. He’s only in two classes to start off. His lectures are short, and he only has to go to campus twice a week. Tuesdays and Thursdays, he has class from ten to eleven-thirty, then from one to three. He spends the time in between in the library studying. For the first two weeks, Henry joins him for lunch between classes. Once he’s sure Alex is able to handle school on his own, Henry starts spending more time at the shelter with Pez. He comes home to tell Alex about all the kids he’s met that day, and Alex loves to see the excitement on Henry’s face. Things seem to be falling into place. On the fourth week of school, Alex’s teacher pairs them up for a group project.
“Hey, Alex, right? I’m Presley, this is Ashton- we’re your partners for the project,” she smiles, sitting down at the desk next to Alex.
“Hey,” he murmurs, looking up at them. “It’s nice to meet you both.”
“We can work at the library, if you’d like,” she hums, “or we can meet at one of our places. Whatever works best for you- I’m not sure how the whole security thing works. Never worked with a president's son before,” she teases gently.
Alex chuckles a bit. “Honestly, I don’t even know how the security thing works half the time. I can get with Cash and see what he’d prefer. I don’t mind meeting at my place, I’d just have to check with my boyfriend.”
“I’d offer my place, but I live in the dorms and have two roommates,” Ashton sighs dramatically. “Never a moment of peace in that place.” He glances at the time and says his goodbyes, hurrying off to his next class.
“I have a roommate, but we could still have the dining room,” Presley shrugs. “Or we could meet at your place. It might honestly be easier than the library. We wouldn’t have to stay quiet then. I don’t know how you are, Alex, but I’ve worked with Ashton before- it can become chaos. Quickly.”
“My entire life is chaos, so I think we’ll get along just fine.” Alex packs his bag up. “I can talk to Cash about what works. If you two come over to my place, you might have to sign NDAs,” he winces. “It’s just- we’ve not had anybody besides family over to our place.”
“Hey, that’s fine- but it’s also fine if you don’t want strangers in your home,” she assures him. “No pressure. We can figure out whatever works for the three of us. I know you two haven’t been out much after everything that happened. It was bullshit, by the way, the way the media treated you,” she says quietly. “You two deserved so much better. So with us, don’t ever pressure yourself to do more than you can handle.”
“I- thank you,” Alex says sincerely. “It’s definitely been a rough couple years, but we’re getting through it. Bringing people over might be the first step in normalizing our lives. Well, as normal as it can be for two public figures with PTSD,” he laughs softly.
Presley can’t help but giggle along with him. “Geez, Alex. Good to know dark humor is your thing.” She follows him out the door. “You’re doing amazing with recovery, though. I can tell. When that happened at my high school, I couldn’t even go back. I finished and graduated online. I couldn’t step foot back on a school campus for almost three years.”
Alex blinks a little. “Were you…”
“Yeah, in the calf,” she smiles sadly. “Not life threatening, thankfully, but still traumatizing just the same. It’s been seven years and sometimes I still cry at loud noises. Healing isn’t linear, so always take your time. If you ever can’t make it to class, just let me know and I’ll make sure you have plenty of notes to study.”
“That means a lot to me, thank you,” Alex murmurs. “I should head out, I’m meeting Henry at the shelter and he’ll get worried if I’m late.”
Presley nods and writes her number down, handing it to Alex. “Here. Text me whenever you decide where you wanna meet, yeah? I’ll let Ashton know. No pressure, yeah? If you’re not ready to let people into your space, that’s okay. We’ll make it work no matter what.”
“I’ll let you know. Bye, Presley.” He tucks her number into his pocket and walks over to cash, following him to the car. He’s quiet on the drive, letting his mind wander. On one hand, working in the library would probably be best. They’d have access to books and there would be plenty of room. On the other hand, the idea of having potential friends over to his home for the first time sounded amazing. He’d have to run it by Henry, of course, but he’s already running with the idea.
“Hi, love, how was school?” Henry asks when Alex walks into the office. “You look like you’ve got something on your mind.”
“I got partnered up for a group project today,” Alex murmurs. He drops his bag down by the desk and sits down in one of Henry’s chairs. “Two people- Presley and Ashton, they seem super nice. We’re trying to figure out where to meet up to work on it. And I was thinking maybe we could meet up at our place? I told them I’d have to run it by you, and with Cash- probably Shaan, too, and I told them about a possible NDA and they’re cool with it. But I don’t know how you feel about having people in our place, total strangers-“
Henry finally cuts off Alex’s rambling. “Alex, darling, breathe. I’m perfectly okay with it. We’d definitely need to consult security and get a couple of NDAs drawn up, but I’m fine with having them over. You just say the word and I’ll let Shaan know what we need.”
“Really?” Alex blinks slowly. “I- Please, yeah, I’d like to have them over. They seem like they’d be really good friends. Plus, I feel more comfortable at home than in the library. Safer. Oh- Presley has been through what I’ve been through, so that’s why she’s so understanding.”
“The outing or the shooting?” Henry asks quietly. “Either way, I’m glad you found friends, darling.”
“Shooting,” Alex murmurs. “But hers was in high school. She said she’d help me out if I ever needed to miss class or something. I think you’d like both of them. I’ll get with Cash about the security aspect if you get with Shaan about the NDA?”
Henry leans over and kisses Alex’s cheek. “Sounds perfect, my love.”
-
“Thanks for being so chill about the security protocols,” Alex smiles softly as he lets Presley and Ashton in. “I know they can be a lot for some people. Just have to be careful. Especially after what happened at Georgetown, Cash is always extra careful.”
“Makes total sense,” Ashton nods. “It’s really not much. Less than I was expecting, if I’m honest.”
“I kinda like it- makes me feel important,” Presley giggles. She sets her backpack down on the table. “Also, this place makes me feel super safe. So that’s a plus.”
Alex chuckles quietly. “Good to know. Just make yourselves at home, we’ve got plenty to snack on and drink. I’m gonna go grab my laptop. Snacks are in the pantry.” He hurries to his room, taking a few deep breaths to steady himself before walking back to the kitchen with his computer.
They work for over an hour before they get side tracked, Presley starting an argument over which Disney movie is the best.
“Obviously it’s Beauty and the Beast- the princess loves to read!” She scoffs quietly.
“Wrong,” Alex says, “because the best is Tangled. Hands down. No arguments against it.”
“You’re only saying that because you look like Flynn Rider,” Ashton points out. “But both of you are wrong, because the correct answer is Bambi.”
Presley throws her pen at him. “The one where a deer gets shot? That’s really your argument here?”
Their voices are overlapping to the point where they don’t even hear the door opening.
“Alex? Alex- oh,” Henry says, smiling sheepishly as he steps into the kitchen. “Sorry. I didn’t realize you two were still here, I’ll leave you to-“
“Perfect, Henry, you’re here- favorite Disney movie, go,” Presley says immediately, looking up at him.
Henry blinks slowly. “Um. I’m quite partial to Tangled-“
“Of course he agrees with Alex,” Ashton groans, dropping his head to the table. “We should’ve known. We’re outnumbered on this.”
“Told you I was right,” Alex smirks, standing up to kiss Henry’s cheek. “Thank you, baby. I love you.”
“Of course,” Henry smiles sweetly. “How could I not love a story about a handsome troublemaker who steals the princess away from her tower, convinces her to break the rules, and falls in love with her in the end? Too similar to my own life.”
Ashton and Presley start laughing, but Alex just crosses his arms. “I take back everything I said before. I hate you.”
“If you say so, darling,” Henry hums. He pats Alex’s cheek gently. “I’ll leave you to your riveting conversation over Disney movies, Pez’s flight got in about half an hour ago, he’s on his way here with some financial stuff for the foundation- just send him to my office when he gets here. I’m sure he’ll let himself in as usual.”
“Alright, we should be done soon,” Alex smiles softly.
“He’s cuter in person,” Presley comments once Henry’s office door shuts. She yelps as Ashton smacks her arm. “What? It’s the truth!”
“You cannot just comment on someone’s looks in front of their boyfriend,” Ashton hisses quietly. “Learn some manners!”
Presley rolls her eyes. “I am very much a lesbian, thank you, it’s not like I’m going to do anything.”
“Kinda wish you had said something in front of Henry, it’s fun to see him flustered,” Alex grins. “I try to do that as often as I can.”
As they’re packing up their stuff, Alex hears the door open and shut.
“Alexander darling, Henry! I’ve arrived!” Pez makes his way into the kitchen. “Oh! You have guests- Ashton, love! Good to see you again!” He makes his way over to give Ashton a hug.
“You two know each other?” Alex asks with a raised eyebrow.
“I volunteer at the shelter when I can,” Ashton blushes. “I just didn’t know if that was a weird thing to bring up? With everything… yeah. Sorry?”
Alex chuckles softly. “Don’t be sorry, it’s cool. I’ll text you both to set up the next time we should meet, yeah?”
Once he finally ushers Presley and Ashton out the door a couple minutes later, Alex slumps against it with a quiet sigh. “Holy shit. I’m exhausted.”
“You haven’t hung out with friends outside of us for a while, darling, that was a big step for you,” Pez smiles softly. “I won’t occupy Henry long, promise.”
“Take all the time you need, Pez, no worries,” Alex smiles softly. He makes his way down the hall and changes into one of Henry’s hoodies, kicking his sweats off. He decides to go back to the living room and curls up on the couch.
Alex wakes up an hour later when Henry lifts him up from the couch. He carries him down the hall to their bedroom and lays him down, curling up behind him.
“Mhmm, missed you,” Alex mumbles, cuddling back into Henry’s chest. “Love you.”
“I love you, too, darling,” Henry whispers. He helps Alex out of the hoodie, knowing he’d get too hot while he slept, and pulls the blanket up. “Go back to sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up. You need some rest.”
-
The next time Ashton and Presley come over, Henry orders pizza for everybody once they finish studying.
“Had I known you were being a responsible student, Alejandro, I would’ve planned our little get together for another night,” Nora groans, propping her feet up in his lap. They’re all gathered in the living room, some on the couch, some on the floor. “Sometimes your dedication to your education makes me sick.”
“You should see him in class- he’s always laser focused,” Presley nods, sipping on her beer. “He’s also the only one who regularly argues with the teacher.”
“Sometimes the teacher is wrong,” Alex frowns, narrowing his eyes at her. “You know that! You back me up when I correct him!”
“Yeah, but I would never be the one who starts the argument!” She laughs.
“Alex has always been argumentative,” June explains, “ever since he was five years old and began to learn what politics were. You should hear our parents debate- you’d understand his personality then.”
“It’ll make him a great lawyer,” Ashton nods. “It’ll be good for him.”
“Sorry I’m late, there was traffic!” Bea calls out as she rushes in, plopping down on the floor next to Henry. She’s in sweats and a baggy t-shirt, her hair in a messy bun. “Oh, we have new friends! Hi, I’m Bea,” she smiles.
“I’m Presley, and that’s Ashton,” Presley introduces them, gesturing to Ashton who seems to be frozen. “We’re Alex’s classmates, working on a project together. And now invited for pizza night it seems,” she grins. “Sorry about Ashton, he’s definitely had a crush on you for years.”
Ashton smacks the back of her head. “Shut the fuck up!” He whispers harshly.
Bea can’t help but giggle. “I’m very flattered, but I’m also very aromantic,” she smiles. She pats Henry on the back when he chokes on his beer. “What? Everybody in this room has signed NDAs bigger than my fucking head, I’m sure, so it’s not like I have to risk it getting back to Gran.”
“As someone who was forced out of the closet and then kicked out, I can guarantee your secret is safe with me,” Ashton finally speaks up.
“We have an even number of people now, let's play games!” Percy claps. “Do we have tortillas?”
“No, fuck no, I am not playing that again,” Alex says quickly. “Bea left a bruise on my face!”
“Just say you’re a wimp and move on, Alex,” Bea snorts, throwing a chip at him. “You’re a sore loser.”
-
Presley and Ashton start coming over for reasons other than studying- parties with their friends, games nights, movie nights, nights out at the local gay bar. Alex spends a little more time on campus with them for study time in between classes. He finds it easy to settle into a pattern.
The day before Thanksgiving, a snowstorm hits DC. All flights into the city are canceled, and Alex finds himself on the phone with his mom trying to figure out a way to get there.
“The roads are terrible here, darlin’, I’m just not sure it’s possible,” Ellen says sadly. “I don’t want to risk you and June getting hurt trying to get here. As soon as the weather has cleared, you can come down and we’ll have a big thanksgiving dinner then, okay?”
“Okay, mom, I just miss you,” Alex whispers, rubbing his eyes. He hasn’t seen her since he started school. He was looking forward to the small vacation from the city. “I love you. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“I love you, too, sugar, we’ll FaceTime tomorrow for sure. You be safe. Have fun tomorrow.”
The next morning, Henry wakes Alex up with his favorite coffee and croissant from the bakery on the corner. “I know you wanted to spend today with your family, love, I’m so sorry,” he whispers. “If you’re up for it, Pez is doing a Thanksgiving dinner at the shelter for the kids. We can go help out? Or we can just stay here all day and cuddle. Up to you.”
“I’d like to go help,” Alex smiles softly. “It’ll make me feel useful. I don’t wanna lay around all day.”
Two hours later, Henry and Alex walk into the shelter, hand-in-hand. They’re greeted by Pez and shown where they’re needed the most. In the main room, everybody Alex knows is there- June, Nora, Presley, and Ashton- all helping set up the tables and chairs for everybody.
“Wha- did you know they’d all be here?” Alex murmurs as he glances up at Henry.
“I had a feeling they would be, especially since June and Nora also couldn’t travel to DC,” Henry admits. “While you can’t be with your mom and Leo, you can be with this family.”
Alex blinks back tears. “Thank you,” he whispers. “You have no idea what this means to me.”
-
The week before Christmas, Alex and Henry fly to London to spend time with Catherine and Bea. To their surprise, Philip also joins with Martha. He stutters through a stilted apology to the both of them. The dinner is surprisingly fun- Alex gets an ugly sweater from Bea to join their tradition, and Henry shows him how the Christmas crackers work. They spend almost the entire week there. Catherine pulls Henry aside at one point and they go off to her study. When he returns, his eyes are slightly red. Alex doesn’t point it out, Henry doesn’t bring it up.
They fly straight to DC from London. June and Nora meet them there with David, and they’re immediately pulled into the Claremont-Diaz festivities. Henry sneaks away with Ellen, Leo, and Oscar at one point. June pushes her way into the office.
“I was coming to you next, I promise,” Henry says quietly. “But since you’re all here… I want to ask for your blessings to propose to Alex.” He pulls the small box out of his pocket. “My mum had my dad’s ring restored and resized for Alex. I don’t know when I plan on doing it, but…. I want it to be soon,” he admits.
“Oh, sugar,” Ellen breathes, covering her mouth as her eyes watered. “Of course you have my blessing.”
“Absolutely,” Leo nods, giving Henry a small hug.
Oscar stays quiet for a minute before pulling Henry into a tight hug. “I couldn’t think of anybody better for Alex than you,” he murmurs. “You have my blessing, mijo.”
Henry turns to June after Oscar lets him go. “June?”
“Fuck, do you even have to ask?” She sniffles, throwing herself at Henry. “I’m genuinely surprised it hasn’t happened already. I just can’t believe you really asked for blessings.”
“You all are Alex’s favorite people, I would never be able to do this if you didn’t approve,” Henry laughs softly. “I know you’ve supported our relationship, but proposals are a totally different thing. I just needed the confirmation that this was a good idea.”
“Alex is going to be a blubbering mess, but not as much of a mess as Ellen will be,” Oscar laughs softly. “Just let us know how you want to do it and we’ll do whatever we can to help.”
-
They decide to spend New Years at the lake house as a family.
“I’m really glad you could join us for New Years this year, Catherine,” Alex smiles, taking her bag as they walk in. “We haven’t been to the lake house for new years since before the election. We just didn’t want to have a party. It’s been over a year, but y’know…” he trails off with a small shrug.
“I’m glad I could join as well,” Catherine smiles, following Alex to her room. “It’s completely understandable that you didn’t want to have a party. What you went through is not something that can just be brushed off, Alex. It was a lot. Hen says you’re doing a lot better?”
Alex nods a bit. “Oh yeah, for sure. Large crowds still freak me out a little, but I’m mostly okay with loud noises. I want to watch the fireworks tonight, so Henry brought me some headphones in case the noise is too much. He takes really good care of me.”
“Good, darling, I’m glad.” She rubs his back gently. “Take it easy, okay? Your whole family is here. You’re safe.”
“I know, Catherine. Thank you.” He gives her a small smile before going to find Henry. He’s off in the corner talking with June, so Alex sits on the couch instead. He grunts when Nora plops down into his lap.
“Alejandro. I feel like I haven’t seen you in a very long time.”
“You saw me last week before you and June left to come here,” Alex reminds her. “You very narrowly missed landing directly on my dick. I might need that this weekend.”
“Oh, you’re really gonna fuck your boyfriend when our entire family is in this house?” Nora laughs. “Isn’t Catherine staying right across the hall from you two?”
“Yes, and you are Nextdoor with June and Pez- I will make sure to push the bed up against our adjoining wall,” Alex says flatly. “Maybe I have plans to keep him quiet.”
“More like he needs to keep you quiet,” she snorts, “you’re loud. We all know this. I am almost positive that Ellen has heard you at least once.”
“Maybe we brought a gag. You don’t know what we do in the bedroom.”
“Pretty sure I do, actually.”
Oscar and Leo go into town to grab barbecue from their favorite place, bringing enough back for everybody. Henry laughs as he watches Catherine attempt to eat ribs for the first time, while Bea and Nora try to see who can eat more ribs. All of them fit together like a puzzle. Alex feels his heart swelling at the sight of all of his favorite people in one place together.
Oscar gets the fire going as they all make their way outside. They make s’mores, and Catherine tells the story of one of her earlier dates with Arthur. He had attempted to make a fire pit in his parents backyard, but the flames were barely big enough to even be seen. So the two of them ate the chocolate and marshmallows separately as he taught her how to identify constellations. Fifteen minutes before midnight, the fireworks start. The first one catches Alex off guard. He immediately relaxes after and assures Henry that he’s fine.
“They don’t wait until midnight here, hmm?” Catherine laughs, sipping on her hot chocolate as she sits down next to Ellen.
“Not at all, and the fireworks will continue all weekend,” Ellen laughs. “Texans don’t do anything halfway. Go big or go home.”
“Are you doing alright, love?” Henry asks, arms wrapped around Alex’s waist from behind. “You seem very relaxed.”
“I am,” Alex promises. “With everybody here, the fire- it’s really nice. The fireworks are far enough away that they aren’t super loud. I’m glad we all came out here. We’ve never gotten to spend time together like this, with everybody.”
“It’s definitely nice.” Henry kisses Alex’s neck gently. “It’s almost midnight. Would you like to be my midnight kiss, my love?”
Alex hums thoughtfully. “Yeah, I think I can do that,” he grins.
They gather around the fire with the rest of their family for the countdown, everybody laughing and cheering. As soon as the clock strikes midnight, Henry pulls Alex into a soft kiss, holding him close. They whisper quiet I love you’s into each other's mouths before they’re pulled apart. Nora turns Alex around and starts chatting with him about nothing important. Alex is a little weirded out by the suddenness of it all. Then he notices tears in Ellen’s eyes, and that’s when he figures out something is going on.
“Guys, what-“ Alex is cut off when Nora turns him around quickly.
Next to the fire, Henry is kneeling. In his hand is a ring box. It’s open to reveal a beautiful silver band with small diamonds around the center. It doesn’t look brand new- it looks restored, in a way. “Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz,” he says shakily. He clears his throat a little. “These last two years with you have been absolutely amazing. We were completely thrown into this head first, and yet I loved every second of it. I genuinely cannot remember who I was before you came into my life. You’ve changed me for the better. We’ve come so far in these last two years. You filled a hole in my heart that I didn’t even realize had formed. I love you so much. I want to spend the rest of forever with you, if you’ll have me.” Henry has tears streaming down his cheeks, and Alex does too. “Alex. Will you marry me?
Alex wipes at his cheeks, laughing wetly. “You motherfucker,” he whispers. “Of course I’ll marry you, Henry. Of course!” He pulls Henry to his feet and lets the boy slip the ring onto his finger before pressing their lips together a bit roughly. In the background, Alex can hear their family cheering for them, but all he can focus on is Henry and engaged and marriage. “Fuck, I love you so much, Henry. So so much.”
“Show the ring, show the ring!” June giggles, coming over with Henry’s phone up. She’s been recording the whole time, and she gets a close up of Alex’s hand. “I can’t believe my baby brother is engaged!”
“And just think, a measly two years ago, these two were at each other’s throats at Philip’s wedding,” Bea giggles, using a tissue to wipe her eyes. “It’s crazy how much things can change.”
Ellen and Catherine come over next, each of them hugging their son. There are a lot of tears from everybody, even Oscar, and the fireworks are all but forgotten in the background.
Bea and Catherine wrap Henry in a hug, and Alex can barely hear Catherine whisper, ”your father would be so proud of you, Henry.”
“I’m so happy for you, darlin’,” Ellen whispers, holding Alex’s face in her hands. “You two are going to be so happy together. I love you both very much.”
“Love you, too, mom,” Alex breathes. He gets squished in a group hug that includes everybody, but Henry’s hand is in his and there’s nothing else he can think about. It takes a while, but they finally manage to pull themselves away to go back to the bedroom. “Holy shit, Henry. I can’t believe that just happened.”
“Me either,” Henry giggles quietly, falling into bed. “I was so scared. I’ve been basically shaking all day. Pez and June had to keep the ring because they were scared I was just going to blurt it out at some point.” When Alex joins him in bed, Henry runs his fingers down his arm until their hands are laced together. “This was my dad’s ring.”
Alex looks up at Henry. “Oh, sweetheart. Are you sure you want me to wear this? Don’t you want to? You know I’d be okay with that.”
“No, he’d want you to have it,” Henry smiles softly. His face is still wet with tears. “Before he passed, he told me he wanted me to save the ring for someone I loved very much. He never said for a girl or a woman, always ‘the person.’ He told me, ‘when you find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, give this to them.’ I think in some way, he always knew. I didn’t realize it then, but I do now.”
“It’s an honor to be that person, Henry, thank you.” Alex cuddles into Henry’s side as his eyes begin to droop. At that moment, in a house full of the family members who love them more than anything in the world, it finally feels like things are slotting into place. For the first time, Alex isn’t worried about his future. He has Henry. His family. His friends. He has people who love him and support him, no matter what. There’s just one thing on his mind now. “When should we make it public? I don’t want to ever take the ring off, so it’s going to get noticed as soon as we’re in public again.”
“We’ll figure out a time, love,” Henry chuckles. “Let’s just relax. We can post about it before we go home in a few days if you’d like.”
They make it until dinner the next day. Alex takes a selfie with his hand up, much like the photo all those months ago in the diner before Alex even lived with Henry. But this time, Henry is grinning while Alex kisses his cheek.
agcd: does this ring make me look engaged?
juneclaremontdiaz: i cannot believe this is how you chose to tell the world instead of using the cinematic masterpiece i created for you
noraholleran: @juneclaremontdiaz honestly i can. I’ll steal Henry’s phone and post it
princessbeatriceuk: Both of my baby brothers!!! So happy for you!!! 💙
pezlikethecandy: already planning the stag night hen. Congrats best friend! 🩷
princesscatherineuk: So happy for you both, darlings! Henry has never been happier.
ellenclaremont: happy for you sugar!
presleylovespizza: Alex!!! Congrats!! We’ll go for drink when you get back to NY
AshBlake: I’ll join you and @presleylovespizza for drinks, first round on me for you and Henry!
henryfox: I love you so much, sweetheart. Can’t wait to spend forever with you.
henryfox: @juneclaremontdiaz i tried to talk him out of this, but you know him. We appreciate the video and it will be posted soon. Promise.