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Life in the States is still something that Henry’s getting used to. He had never really let himself dream of a possibility that he could one day live so openly with the love of his life.
Yet, here he is.
Awake on a random Tuesday mere weeks since he moved to the States, wrapped around Alex, the man of his dreams, the love of his life. It’s the best feeling in the world.
Alex is usually the early riser for his runs, but apparently, Henry’s up earlier than him this morning, he doesn’t mind. It means that he can admire his boyfriend as he sleeps – the messy curls, the way his mouth hangs slightly open – it’s beautiful. He’s beautiful.
And he’s Henry’s.
He hums, happily.
“Good morning, baby,” Alex offers. He rolls over in Henry’s arms and gives him a kiss.
Henry melts in the way that he always does when Alex calls him baby. He still can’t fathom why it makes him melt, but it does, and so he kisses him again and again, until Alex puts a hand on his chest, to ask, “What time is it?”
“Almost time for your run,” Henry says, glancing at the silly Disney prince and princess clock that Alex insisted lived in their room, even though they always use their phones for time.
It’s got Prince Charming on it, Hen! We have to get it.
He’d been so eager about it that Henry simply had to let him get it, no matter how silly it was.
Alex glances at his phone just to be sure (proving that they absolutely did not need the silly clock) and grins. “I have enough time for another kind of workout if you’re interested?”
He runs a hand down Henry’s bare chest, and Henry can’t help the way he’s instantly hard at the thought. He doesn’t have to agree because as soon as Alex’s hand reaches his cock, he knows Henry is always in the mood for Alex’s favorite workout (since it’s his favorite, too).
He kisses him and then, says, “Go on, Alex. I know how much you love having my cock in your mouth.”
Alex laughs. “Almost as much as you love mine in your mouth.”
Henry’s laugh is swallowed by Alex’s mouth as he kisses him. He loves that he can feel the smile in his kiss.
It’s the best part about waking up with Alex every morning… even if there’s morning breath.
Another great start to another great day.
Just like every day with Alex.
***
It’s later as Alex is headed out the door with simple, “Love you, baby, see you later,” that Henry realizes as much as he loves baby as Alex’s designated term of endearment for him that he hasn’t quite found one that he likes for Alex that makes Alex melt the way baby does for him.
He knows that Alex probably isn’t all that concerned about this bit of discrepancy, but now that he’s become aware of it, it must be rectified.
He shall find a term that makes Alex melt the way that baby makes him melt. Shouldn’t be too difficult, right?
***
I – Love
Henry loves watching Alex work, he thinks, as he looks at Alex surrounded by his papers and his books, he’s practically naked with only his pants, necklace and glasses on. His hair is a mess of curls, but Henry loves it.
Not just because he gets a great view of Alex in their bed just like the selfies that he used to send that would send Henry down a spiral of Alex is going to kill him, but because he can see the passion he has for his work.
He’s devoted and gorgeous and watching him fall down a hole of research as he works is just so… undeniably amazing. It’s so cute and adorable.
He loves that he gets to see a side of Alex that no one else is allowed to see. Well, he supposes that June and Nora had gotten to see it, but it feels different, somehow.
Maybe it’s because it’s a bit more intimate.
Alex isn’t trying to look so irresistible, but he’s managing it so effortlessly.
“Baby?” Alex questions, breaking out of his zone to see Henry watching him from his spot in the cozy cuddle cup of a chair that Alex insists is perfect for snuggling and reading in (and he’s right).
“Yes, love?”
“You’re staring.”
Henry flushes. “I couldn’t resist. You look so… adorable.”
“Yeah?” Alex questions clearly pleased. “I can come be adorable over there if you like?”
“I thought you had work to do?”
He’s not objecting, he would love for Alex to come plant himself in his lap, but he knows that Alex had complained at dinner that he wouldn’t be able to entertain Henry tonight because he needed to study.
Alex glances down at his books. “Maybe I could take a kissing break?”
Henry hums. He would like that, but he also knows…
“Love, I promised you that I wouldn’t be a distraction tonight and we both know that once we start kissing, we’ll never stop.”
“And here I thought my boyfriend would want to distract me,” Alex huffs. “But I can appreciate the reward for my study efforts here – I study what I planned and then, I get to kiss you and never stop.”
Henry grins. He loves the thought of that. “Then, you better get back to work, love.”
Alex cheekily blows him a kiss before returning to his studies, allowing Henry to go back to admiring him.
Seems like a perfect night to him even if love doesn’t appear to make Alex melt quite the way he had hoped.
No matter, he shall find another one.
***
II – Darling
Henry knows that he – they – still gather a lot of attention whenever they’re out together. He has the freedom to be with Alex the way he wants, the support from most of the masses, but also the memories of their words splashed in the papers. Of speeches and announcements. Of knowing that his words weren’t just his and Alex’s words anymore.
So, he knows that even though there’s been support for them, whenever they’re together people are always paying a lot more attention than they had originally had when everyone thought they were just the famous best friends.
Thus, it’s a bit difficult for Henry to make the decision to stop by NYU to visit with Alex for lunch.
It isn’t that he doesn’t want to. He wants to see Alex any chance he gets and while he’s doing outreach for the shelters, he doesn’t exactly have any reason not to visit Alex on his longer days of classes since his job doesn’t take that much time out of his day to stop him from visiting Alex, too.
Except, well, he doesn’t want the attention. He doesn’t want more stolen moments of them online.
He knows that Alex doesn’t either, but when he casually joked this morning that he’d love to see him before dark today, Henry had had the idea that he could … bring him lunch.
He could see him.
He wants to see him.
Especially since he knows that Alex hadn’t exactly planned to stop for lunch but would probably study through it because that’s what he always does.
Thus, despite the joke and knowing it probably wasn’t serious, Henry couldn’t help packing them a lunch (by packing, he means stopping by Alex’s favorite sub shop and putting the food a cute little picnic basket).
Alex is easy to spot in the courtyard. Alone, surrounded by books. Not looking like he’d even attempted to pretend to eat something for lunch, which works well for Henry’s surprise.
“Darling?” Henry questions as he gets close enough to be heard.
Alex looks up, eyes sparkling in delight and surprise, but doesn’t quite melt the way Henry melts at his term. “Baby? What are you doing here?”
Henry offers a shrug as if he doesn’t notice the attention as he sets the basket on the table, pushing Alex’s papers and books out of the way. “I brought us lunch.”
“God, you’re perfect,” Alex says, standing and giving him a kiss. He doesn’t seem to notice the attention and it’s still a bit strange to be allowed to be affectionate in public, but it’s nice, too.
Yet, Henry melts with a grin. He’ll never tire of being able to kiss Alex in public.
He’s getting everything that he’s always wanted, and attention be damned, he’s going to enjoy it.
“You’re not so bad yourself, darling,” Henry teases as they sit. He pulls out the food and says, “So, tell me about your day so far.”
“Well, I’ve already had three classes…”
Henry smiles and listens as he eats, and despite the camera phones and people paying attention to them, all he can think is this couldn’t be more perfect.
He’s got the love of his life and can finally be out and proud.
A little attention he can deal with, and he still enjoys trying to find the perfect term for Alex, since darling doesn’t appear to be doing it either.
***
III – Dear
Henry watches as Alex laughs at the bartender.
He’d finally been convinced to go out to one of the gay bars near school, it helps, of course, that Liam and Spencer had come to visit and convinced him that he can’t spend another degree hiding at home instead of enjoying college life. Alex had been slightly deprived in a way not even Henry had been deprived when it came to higher education.
He hadn’t gone to many parties and spent most of his time out with his sister and Nora, but even they weren’t enough to truly experience university life.
Thus, Liam had helped him connect with some other friends from high school that actually liked Alex before he became the First Son. So, he’s smiling and happy out with friends and Henry loves that for him.
He’s teasing and flirting, and he looks so happy and carefree that Henry wants to take him home and ravage him until the sun comes up.
His mind wonders over his plans for Alex once they get home – luckily, although Liam and Spencer are staying with them, they’ll be on a different floor – so he could do anything he wants to Alex, and they wouldn’t be able to hear it.
He could tie him up and tease him, have his way with him all night long.
His trousers start to get tight as Alex makes his way back over to him, and plants himself in his lap with their drinks.
“Well, hello, my dear,” Henry offers. A new term that doesn’t seem to do anything for Alex, he doesn’t even appear to notice it.
Alex kisses his cheek and says, “Think you’re up for dancing or are you busy fantasizing about what we’re going to do when we get home?”
Henry scoffs and flushes, “I wasn’t fantasizing about anything.”
Alex laughs and brings his lips to Henry’s ear. “And that’s why you’re half-hard right now?”
He wiggles his arse, which makes Henry flush deeply as he hardens. He doesn’t answer, instead choosing to down his drink to two gulps, and says, “Come on, my dear, let’s go dancing.”
Alex laughs and gives him a kiss, short, sweet and tempting before he gets up and pulls Henry with him to the dance floor.
Time for some slightly more innocent fun than his fantasies.
***
IV – Hun
Henry smiles when he sees Alex’s name light up on his phone.
“Hi Hun, did you get my note?”
“Yes, baby,” Alex says, a smile on his face. “Sorry, I missed you this morning, but the lunch you made me was very cute.”
Henry flushes, pleased. He’d been working on trying to get Alex to eat more and take care of himself as well as cooking a bit so that he could pack Alex a lunch. Most of his food trials have been errors, but finally, he might’ve done well.
“Does this mean the lunch was good?”
“It was excellent, baby, and I can’t wait to cook your favorite dinner tonight to thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me, Hun. I simply did it because I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Alex says, the grin evident in his voice. “But I still wanna make you dinner.”
Henry hums. He does enjoy the thought of watching Alex cook him dinner. “Sounds lovely.”
“Good, then, I’ll see you later, thanks, again, baby.”
“Anytime, Hun.”
The call ends and Henry can find himself frowning. Hun didn’t seem to even be noticed let alone liked it to the level of Henry’s love of baby, so he’ll just have to keep trying.
***
V – Sunshine
It’s a nice spring day; the weather is perfect for a walk with Alex and David. He lets Alex lead the way to the park where he likes to run.
“It’s going to be the perfect place to play fetch with David,” Alex says, grinning as he pulls slightly on Henry’s hand that isn’t holding onto David’s leash.
He’s been a bit giddy about the fact that they’ve managed to convince both the White House and the Monarchy to leave them be this summer, which means that it’s just the two of them and David for the entire summer in New York.
“I am sure that any place with you and David is going to be the perfect place, sunshine.”
Alex pauses and looks at him. “Sunshine? That’s new.”
“Oh, well, you have always been my ray of sunshine, and I thought perhaps…”
Alex gives him a small smile. “I do like the thought of being your ray of sunshine and I am not against the moniker at all…”
“But?” Henry prompts.
“But… I don’t understand why you keep changing up the terms,” Alex admits.
Henry tilts his head back and forth. “I wasn’t sure you noticed.”
“Of course I noticed,” Alex retorts. “I notice everything about you. I just wasn’t sure what it was about, so I figured that I could watch and pay attention and hope the answer revealed itself.”
“Until now.”
“Until now, so you wanna tell me?”
Henry hums as David pulls on the leash prompting them to move again. “I suppose that it’s rather silly…”
“I love silly,” Alex offers.
He clearly wants to know, so silly as it seems now, Henry says, “I was trying to find a term of endearment that would make you melt the way that baby makes me melt.”
“That’s so fucking adorable.”
Henry laughs. “And yet, I haven’t managed to find one just yet.”
Alex smiles. “Maybe now that I know, I can help you find one? Would you like that?”
Henry smiles. “I would love that.”
“Good.”
***
+1 – Sweetheart
Henry can’t help laughing at Alex’s lists sometimes. Especially when it’s something rather silly such has a list of Henry’s terms of endearments.
He’s listed out every term of endearment that Henry’s tried and the rated them based on how much he liked them.
It’s both endearing and ridiculous how many names he’s tried that Alex is not a fan of or didn’t melt the way that Henry melted when he heard baby in Alex’s southern accent. He should’ve definitely found one by now.
“So, these are all of the terms you’ve tried, and I’ve got a rating next to them,” Alex says, offering him the list.
“You don’t need to give me the list,” Henry states, handing it back. “It does me no good.”
“Why not?” Alex questions as he moves to sit in Henry’s lap in the perfect cuddle cup in their bedroom.
“We’ve already ruled these out, have we not?” Henry asks, as he wraps his arms around Alex’s waist and Alex wraps one arm around his shoulders. “I’ve used them, and they didn’t make you melt.”
“Melting is a relative term,” Alex retorts. “Maybe it was more what was going on when you used the term than the term itself. Maybe I only vaguely heard it, and it didn’t really register?”
“So, you’re suggesting that I’ve already found the term to use?”
It’s an interesting thought. He could see that maybe his methods of determining an appropriate term that would make Alex melt were not nearly as sound as he believed especially if he used a term while not in person or if there were distractions around.
“Maybe,” Alex says. “We have used a lot of different terms, but some of these, I may have even missed.”
Henry hums as he pursues the list that Alex is holding out in front of them. Some of them he had thrown out as potential options weren’t even ones he liked saying like sugar or sweet pea. They had sounded a little too much like Alex’s mum and he definitely want to remind Alex of his mum during sex (or anytime, really).
Others were so frequent that he often heard them used by his own mum and sister such as dear and darling, and although Alex did seem to like the way darling rolled off his tongue, he could admit that he doesn’t want to be thinking about their family members when he’s focusing on naughty things he wants to do with Alex.
As he scans the list and spots a term that he doesn’t remember using since they’d gotten together.
Sweetheart.
He’d used it in a derogatory manner when they were first forced to fake their friendship because Alex had used it in that manner. He’d never used it sweetly.
Henry looks from the list to Alex, whose eyes are soft as he looks at him.
“What about this one, sweetheart?” Henry asks and he watches as Alex shivers with pleasure.
“I like it,” Alex offers, giving him a kiss. “It sounds so much better when you’re saying it sweetly rather than the way you used it before.”
Henry grins. “Yes, I imagine it does sound better when it’s not said to drive you bonkers.”
Alex laughs. “Definitely.”
“Well, then, sweetheart, I think we should celebrate finding the perfect term.”
He doesn’t wait for an answer as he kisses him and tosses the list on the ground because he already knows the answer.
His sweetheart is always up for celebrating.
Always.