Chapter Text
If there’s one thing Alex can say with absolute certainty - it’s that this isn’t quite how he expected his life to turn out.
“-how is that my fucking problem then? You fucking fix it!”
He pointedly remains behind the counter, letting the grown ass woman throw an entire hissy fit, mostly to herself, while he looks on. It’s a song and dance he’s well used to, particularly during wedding season.
It becomes a bit of a game, watching as her face changes hue within seconds and he idly thinks of a paint swatch he had been considering for his bedroom. He wonders if Ikea has the large gallon bucket of that colour.
“You didn’t pay your deposit.” He says calmly once she seems to have worked herself into a silent rage, face still that bright red hue as she stomps her foot. “I emailed you twice. Called three times and in every voicemail I told you that if you didn’t pay your deposit, the order would be cancelled.”
He remembers law school, the crushing deadlines, the days without sleep as he ran on nothing but coffee and granola crumbs. He remembers the weeks after exams where he’s too exhausted to do much of anything but lie in bed and wonder if this is what his life is meant to hold.
Maybe it was the better choice.
“So, what? My daughter doesn’t get to have flowers on her wedding day? You’re telling me this the morning of?”
In all honesty, if this woman were at least ten percent more pleasant, he would be half tempted to make something. It’s not her daughter’s fault that her mother is a raging tyrant. But it’s not worth the hassle, he can take the negative yelp review.
“I have been telling you for weeks . It’s not my fault you’re disorganised.”
As though he’s said the magic words, the woman’s voice grows so high pitched that he feels pity for the neighbour’s pet chihuahua, who is likely in hell as of right now.
“Disorganised? I will sue!”
He rolls his eyes, “Let’s do it, lady. I know the law.”
She lets out a shriek, slamming her palm on his countertop as if that’s enough to spook him into creating thirty tabletop decors, before turning on her heel and storming out of the shop, the bell clanging behind her as the door slams shut.
The sound is no longer enough to make him wince, not with the consistency that he tends to hear it.
“As much as I love watching you torture the general public, Lil Bit, you are going to get us shut down one of these days.” June says as she breezes past him, a large cardboard box in her arms that he can only see the top of her head over.
“Not my fault people want shit for free.” He scoffs, “We can take a negative review.”
“We?” She asks pointedly as she smacks the box onto the countertop in front of him, beginning to unpack its contents.
“Hey, this is as much my place as it is yours.”
She rolls her eyes, but he can see the fond smile tugging at her lips, “I know, I’m sorry. Do we have anything else on the books for today?”
She pulls out a small green vase, turning it in her hands before putting it on the counter, sliding it towards him.
“Nah, I have a three o clock delivery across town, some guy that definitely cheated on his girlfriend sending apology flowers.”
“How can you tell?”
“The card he wrote says Thank you for sticking by me through everything. The strongest woman I know and I am so grateful you’re with me.”
The harsh laugh June lets out echoes through the small space, “Fucking hell, alright. You want me to take it?”
“Nah, I like the drama.”
“Just don’t hook up with this one-“
“One fucking time I hook up with a girl who was given breakup flowers and suddenly that’s all I’m known for!” He whips off his apron and swipes at June with it, making her squeal and stick her arms out, “I am not some common slut!”
“Oh. Sorry. Is this a bad time?”
The pair of them freeze, making eye contact with each other before slowly turning to face the voice that had somehow gotten into their store without the bell alerting them of his presence.
The man standing before them is tall, painfully so, blonde, white, with the bluest eyes Alex has ever seen. He might be slightly, immediately, obsessed with the sight of him.
“No, not at all!” June recovers much more quickly than he does, shoving the vase she’s holding into Alex’s chest before giving the customer a wide smile, “Welcome to Bluebonnet, how can we help?”
The man pauses, eyes darting to meet Alex’s again and he refuses to acknowledge the hitch in his breath the one look makes.
Fuck me.
“Uh right. I was looking to order a bouquet for delivery if possible.” British. Huh.
“Uh huh.” June says, glancing between the man and Alex until an all too familiar smirk flits across her lips. “Alex can help you out here, I have to take these to the back.”
“You just came from the - Bug.” He hisses but she’s already gone, waving a dismissive hand over her shoulder as she leaves Alex and the man awkwardly standing in front of the counter.
“Uh…hi.” Alex says.
“Hello.”
They stare at each other for a few moments before Alex’s brain does a hard reset and he realises he is absolutely on the wrong side of the counter for this.
“Sorry. Messy day.” He darts around to his side, throwing his apron back on and tying it around the back, “You wanted a bouquet?”
“Yes,” The man clears his throat, adjusting the collar of his polo shirt. Alex’s eyes are inadvertently drawn to the movement, “Something with roses if possible. Not too flashy but…nice.”
“Gotcha.” Alex grabs a notepad and begins to doodle, “Is it for family? Friends? Partner?”
He never likes to assume but right now he is really hoping for family.
“Um.” The man’s cheeks tinge a light shade of pink as he seems to consider his next words carefully, “A friend.”
Despite the unprofessionalism, Alex can’t help but grin, “Friend, huh? The horizontal kind?”
“Excuse me?”
Alex puts up his hands innocently, “Hey, man. I don’t judge. I just need to know because I don’t want to make a bouquet of my sexiest red roses if they’re going to like…your cousin or something.”
The man sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Fine. Yes. Thank you.”
“Okay and is this…right. The vibe?”
“What?” The man sounds entirely exasperated and Alex, as concrete in his bisexuality as he is, is still surprised at how much the single word affects him.
“The vibe of the flowers? Like are they… I love you let’s take this to the next level or are they cheers but no thanks!” At the man’s complete silence Alex bursts into laughter, “You dog. One bouquet of nice cheers but no thanks flowers. You got it, man.”
“This is a very unprofessional service, you know.” But he’s smiling, a proper wide smile that makes Alex pause for a moment before righting himself.
“Meh. I get results. Wait until you see.” He continues scribbling on the pad before turning it around to face the man.
He peers down at it, mouth slightly agape and Alex uses the silence to butt in and explain.
“So yellow roses are for friendship, of course. Red ones just send the wrong idea. Baby’s breath in between to space it out without adding a more romantic flower and then wrap it in a white ribbon to remind them of the wedding you absolutely will not be having.”
The man chokes on air, “You’re bloody insane.”
“Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don’t know. Are you leaving a note?”
“Isn’t that a bit crass?”
“Can be but if I got flowers without a note I would lowkey assume you’re into me, man.” I would be so fucking lucky.
It’s not often he gets this… thirsty but he can’t help it, he’s always been weak for an accent and something about this man just makes him feel like he could fucking ruin him.
And God does he want him to.
The man nods, his hair swooshing slightly as he does and Alex can’t help but notice how it catches off the light, “Alright then. Maybe say, thank you for a lovely evening. All the best, Henry Fox.”
“Full government name, huh?” He tries his hardest to hold back a laugh but a snort breaks through, “Whatever you want, Romeo. Who am I making this out to?”
“Ashley.”
This makes Alex pause, his gaze wracking up and down the man’s frame. He isn’t one to stereotype but he had been dead certain this guy was gay. Bisexual alarm bells are still ringing so he doesn’t fully draw back. He’s single - judging by the flowers unless he’s a major fucking douchebag - and Alex can’t help but feel curious.
“Great, just jot the address down here and I’ll deliver them. Around four okay?”
“Amazing thank you.” Henry Fox sighs in relief, scribbling an address down. “You’re genuinely a lifesaver.”
“It’s what I do.” Alex says with a smile. He boots up the card reader, applies what he calls the owners discount that June will likely smack him across the head for giving.
Henry taps his card and Alex pulls back his notebook, staring down at the crudely drawn bouquet on the pad. Before he can second guess himself, he plucks one of his business cards out of the plastic holder and slides it across the counter.
“In case you need any more of these.” He says cheekily, “Give me a call.”
Henry nods, staring down at the card for a few beats before pocketing it. Alex knows the card like the back of his hand - Bluebonnet. June and Alex Claremont Diaz. Followed by the email, address and phone number.
He hopes his eyes convey the message he’s desperately trying to get across - if you like men, please fucking call me for the love of God you sexy British psychopath.
He’s been told he has very expressive eyes.
“Thank you, Alex.” Henry says, voice warm and soft in a way that makes Alex’s inside squirrely.
Henry stares down at the card for a moment, something unreadable flashing across his face before it goes back to a placid expression. His teeth worry his lower lip and the restraint it takes for Alex to not reach out and drag it out with his thumb is enough to give him a hernia.
He doesn’t want him to leave, to disappear back out into the world but he can’t think of anything to get him to stay.
“You’re welcome. I’ll give Ashley my best.”
Henry straightens his shoulders and looks directly at Alex, deep into his eyes as though he’s about to say something earth shattering, utterly life changing.
“Right, well. Cheerio.”
And he ducks out of the shop, bell jangling behind him as though he hasn’t uprooted Alex’s entire wellbeing in a five minute interaction.
He isn’t certain how long he’s standing there, gaping after the other man until June appears by his side almost as if magically.
“So, how was that?” She asks cheerily, propping herself up on her tiptoes to look over his shoulder at the point where he’s still fucking staring.
“I think I’m in love.”
“So when’s the first date?”
He lets out a low groan that comes out more pained than exasperated, “Never?”
June frowns at him, hand reaching out to gently thwack him in the chest, “How did you manage to fuck that up?”
“I don’t know, I just…didn’t ask? I panicked! I gave him our business card so maybe he’ll call?”
“Were you…suggestive?”
“Maybe? I can’t fucking remember now. Fuck.” He presses the heel of his hand to his forehead with a loud groan, “I fucked it. The most beautiful person I’ve ever seen and I called him man, multiple times.”
“Who did he want flowers for?”
“One night stand.”
June lets out a heartfelt sigh, hands clasped in front of her, “What a gentleman. You should have asked if you could be next. At least you know you’d get some nice flowers out of it.”
“No fucking way I’d let that go if I got him. Did you see his ass?”
“Alex-“
“All caked up on a Saturday afternoon.” He says mournfully, wiping away an imaginary teardrop from his eye.
“I am deleting your fucking twitter account.”
“As if you could guess my password.”
“Hansolosabs69.”
“Hey, fuck you!”
💐
He knocks on Ashley’s front door at promptly four in the afternoon, holding the flowers under his free arm as he does. The door flies open as though the person on the other side had been waiting for him. A guy, short, dark haired, with a pinched looking expression stares at him curiously.
“Uh…yes?”
“Hi, I’m looking for Ashley.”
The guy folds his arms, the white tank top he’s wearing makes his arms bulge out at the action and Alex takes a brief moment to glance at them. He’s wondering if he’s about to get his ass kicked by Ashley’s boyfriend.
“You’re looking at him.” He says gruffly and that makes Alex falter.
Ashley’s a dude. Ashley’s a fucking dude. He fucking knew it.
“I have these flowers for you, from uh…Henry.”
“Really?” His eyes light up and he reaches out for the flowers, which Alex begrudgingly passes over. “Did he say anything about me?” He immediately plucks up the card, face falling as he reads the note. “Oh. These are rejection flowers.”
Alex does not feel any smidgen of glee at the sight - he is a florist, his customer’s satisfaction is the most important thing to him. Obviously.
“Sorry, dude. He didn’t seem interested in a repeat.” He immediately bites down on his own tongue once the words leave his mouth but he doesn’t take them back.
“Shame,” Ashley’s eyes are honed on the card, almost crumpling in his tight grip. “The sex was phenomenal.”
Alex blames his ADHD on his lack of brain to mouth filter at the best of times, but he knows this is all him, “Really?”
Ashley’s eyes meet his own with a jolt, as though he’s forgotten exactly who he’s speaking with, “Uh…yeah. Sorry, bit TMI for a delivery guy.”
“Trust me. Not even the worst I’ve heard today.”
His last delivery sobbed in his arms while he awkwardly patted her back. She had also propositioned him twice, but he declined, passing her a tissue as she sniffled and blew her nose loudly into it.
“Right. Well uh, yeah. Seriously. Phenomenal sex. Actually a bit gutted it won’t happen again. You’re certain he meant these flowers as a goodbye?”
“Positive. Sorry man.” His voice is tight, fingers clenched into fists at his sides as he pictures absolutely nothing at all.
He’s going to hell.
Ashley shrugs one shoulder, “I’m not gonna be all broken up about it. At least I got some flowers. Thanks, dude. Do I uh…do I need to tip you?”
“Nope.” Alex says instantly, shaking his head, “All good. Have a good one.” Once the door closes, Alex clenches his eyes shut, smacking the heel of his hand into his head, “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”
Was it a dick move to speak on Henry’s behalf like that? Absolutely.
Would he do it again? Most definitely.
💐
A week passes and Alex manages to think of Henry only every other minute of the day. He can’t help himself, or his genuine hyperfixation on the other man.
First came the Insta-stalking, which bore very little fruit. A private page, less than three hundred followers and a profile photo of Henry holding what looked to be a beagle. The bio simply read 25 // NYC // 🌈🖋️, which just happened to be the exact information he had been looking for in the first place.
Ashley had of course been the defining factor but…Alex wanted to be a lawyer once upon a time, so he knows a thing or two about checking his sources.
The decision to not take the bar had been less painful than he anticipated. After being entirely burnt out and downright fucking exhausted once he graduated law school, it turns out his abuela’s passing had been the final straw.
She had left pretty much everything to his father, except for a lump of money to be split between June and Alex, 60/40 because June’s a fucking suck up since birth. He wasn’t sure what he should do with it, considered shoving it into some kind of account and letting it fester until June had come up with a solution.
Open a flower shop.
Which came entirely out of left field for Alex but, considering he really didn’t want to take the bar and he also really didn’t want to sit around on his ass all day in June’s spare bedroom - he leapt at the chance.
Which leads him to being part owner of a florist smack back in the middle of New York before he’s even turned twenty four. The part is what June harps on at him about the most, though usually in good fun.
She uses it to get what she wants quite a bit though, which is why he’s working the Saturday shift alone while she’s off on a date. He isn’t jealous or bitter in the absolute slightest.
The bell ringing is the only thing that makes him look up from his phone where he has been deeply invested for the better part of an hour in a twitter thread about parrots in hats.
“Oh.” He manages to say, “Henry, hey.”
Henry ducks into the shop, smiling that fucking soft smile that makes Alex want to bury his face in the other man’s chest. He’s wearing a loose shirt today, tan colour that is comical against his pale skin, matched with a pair of shorts that show off some fucking toned calves that he has to drag his eyes away from immediately.
“Hello, Alex. How are you?”
“Good, good. Can’t complain. What? Back for more hookup flowers?” He jokes.
Henry remains silent.
“Fucking hell,” He can’t even be disappointed at the news, he’s far too fucking amused, “Is this like your Friday night tradition or something?”
“No!” Henry’s cheeks are flushed a soft pink, his nose scrunching adorably as he takes a step closer to the counter, leaning his hip against it, “I don’t tend to ‘hook up’,” he puts the word in air quotes, “often. But when I do I…feel…”
“Guilty?”
“Mhm.” He sighs, “Which I know is silly, everyone knows what it is going into but…I don’t know. Last night was a mistake. Majorly. So I feel like flowers are a must.”
“You don’t have to justify it man, love is love.”
He promptly wants to slice his own head off with his pruning shears. Couldn’t have said a straighter sentence if he fucking tried.
Henry, thankfully, barks out a laugh at this, “Yes, thank you for your support in my trysts. So…maybe the same as last time?”
“Wow…not even some originality? Fine. Only because I feel like you are going to become my newest regular and I will take the business. June’s been up my ass about Yelp reviews recently.”
“Nothing to do with your professionalism, I’d wager?” Henry’s eyes crinkle at the sides as he teases him and Alex feels very normal about this information.
“Not in the slightest, sweetheart. One ‘Fox’ bouquet coming right up.
“Bloody hell, it has a name now?”
“Yep. Your very own recipe. You should be grateful. Gimme the name and address and I'll ruin some poor bastard’s day.”
With an eye roll, Henry pulls a fountain pen out of his shirt pocket and reaches for Alex’s notepad, scrawling down in his loopy script.
Alex cringes, “Geoffrey? Really?”
“I refuse to call a grown man Geoff.”
“Fair enough. I’ll go break his heart while you go hunt down your next victim.” He wonders if investing in a big red arrow that points directly down at the counter would be far too gauche.
“Blah, blah. How much do I owe you?”
“Fifteen.” If a bouquet of that extravagance normally goes for thirty five then that is Alex’s business and Alex’s alone.
Also June’s once she reads the monthly invoices and promptly kicks his ass down Madison Avenue.
“I don’t understand how you can afford to run a business at that price point.” Henry says wryly as he once again taps his card against the machine. The light of the shop glints against a small gold ring on his pinky finger.
“I mean…given the hundreds of visits you’ll make here before the end of the year, I think we’ll do alright.”
“Ha ha.”
Alex wants to fuck him so bad that it’s actually getting frustrating. His stupid dry British humour, bright blue eyes and lips that he just wants to sink his fucking teeth into.
“I gave you my number for a reason, Fox. Feel free to use it, give me a heads up so I can order a few dozen bouquets. Keep you stocked up. The winter months get awfully lonely, you know.”
“I’m sure June wouldn’t appreciate the updates on my love life.”
“June?” He frowns, “That’s my cell number.”
“Oh.” Henry looks at him, “Alright then.”
“Cool.”
They stare at each other in silence while Alex’s hands practically itch at his sides. He imagines what it would be like to say fuck it and leap over the counter. But he doesn’t, because Henry hasn’t even given him a semblance of a signal and Alex isn’t a fucking psychopath.
“Thank you, Alex. I appreciate it.” His smile is warm and it once again makes Alex’s insides turn themselves outside in.
“No problem. I’ll see you soon, I’m sure.”
“I hope so.” Henry says with a wink before he disappears through the front door and out into the sunshine.
Okay - now what the fuck does that mean?
💐
+44 *********9
So, how’d Geoffrey take it?
Alex
henry?
+44 *********9
How many Geoffrey’s have you dealt with today?
Alex
fair enough.
he asked me to beg you to reconsider and gave me his phone number if you want it
Henry 🌹😭
As tempting as that is, I will pass.
Alex
you DAWG
Henry🌹😭
You are deranged
Alex
blah blah. new shipment of roses in on friday morning. will be all set for your next bouquet next week.
Henry 🌹😭
I won’t be back in next week
He’s back in next week.
The morphing feeling of disappointment mixed with happiness is very confusing and slightly painful.
“Romeo, O Romeo,” Alex trills, waving around a yellow rose that he had ready for this exact moment. “I knew our paths would cross again.”
Henry’s much more casual than Alex has seen him so far. Jeans that cling far too tightly around his thighs with a sweater that looks as soft as his hair.
Alex needs to get laid because this is getting ridiculous.
Henry rolls his eyes but Alex can see the smile he’s trying to tamp down and he fucking loves it, “Shut up. Vodka and I are not friends at the best of times.”
“Now this I would love to see.” Is that suggestive? It sounds suggestive. He really hopes Henry takes it as suggestive.
Henry stutters slightly as he gets his next words out, a flush spreading across his cheeks and Alex does an internal fist pump, “Can I have a bouquet please?”
“What kind?”
“You know what kind.”
“We have oh so many types of bouquets in our wonderful establishment, I truly will need more from you in order to fulfil your order.”
“You are a menace.”
“Sir, please do not harass me when I am trying to do my job.” His teeth are nearly drawing blood with how deep they are sunk into his lower lip, trying to hold back his smile.
“Plague.”
“Sir, once more and I will have to ask you to leave.”
Henry sighs, long and loud and overexaggerated before he meets Alex’s eyes and says, “Can I have one Fox bouquet, please?”
“Oh, why didn’t you say so?” Alex pulls out his notepad with a beam, “That one is very popular as of late. If you could just write down the details here and - sorry Jebidiah?”
“I am not calling a grown man Jeb.” Henry shudders at the thought, continuing to scrawl down the address.
“What do you even call him in bed? Jebidiah? Jebby? Jebseph?”
“Please stop.”
“Didn’t like the cut of his Jeb, eh?”
The words make Henry slam the pen back down on the counter, “I am going to write a yelp review that is so horrific-“
“Oh Jeb, my body burns for your touch-“ He can’t hold back his explosive laughter, unable to even finish his sentence and after a beat Henry joins in, loud and open in a way that claws its way into Alex’s heart, latching on tightly.
“You are seriously the strangest business owner I have come across.”
“You’re the one that can’t stay away.”
“No.” Henry says, voice quiet as he stares down at the notepad, “I suppose not.”
His smile is only a tad pained as he says, “Much obliged, sweetheart. Tap your card.”
💐
It isn’t until the fifth time he’s delivering Henry’s flowers does he notice something very strange.
“Oh,” He says as the front door opens. “Are you Noah?”
“Uh…” The guy frowns at the bouquet in his arms, “Yes?”
They stare at each other in silence before Alex’s brain manages to reboot itself.
“Right sorry uh…these are for you. From Henry.” One would think that by now he would have the script down, but he is far too flustered to have any executive brain function.
The guy’s deep brown eyes stare into his own, one eyebrow lifted, “Cool…thanks.”
He takes them carefully while Alex gapes like a fish at him, likely looking absolutely insane. His brain has taken a backseat to everything else for the foreseeable future.
“Can I…help you?”
“No.” Alex finally manages to say, “Thanks.”
Noah closes the door in his face and he stands there for at least an additional forty seconds as his brain comes to a flying halt.
Like everything else in Alex’s life, this can all be summed up in a list.
- Noah has dark curly hair
- Noah has dark brown eyes, very similar to his own
- Noah has the exact skin tone as him
- You could put Alex and Noah together in a room full of republicans and no one would be able to tell the difference.
He finally leaves when he realises that if Noah looks out his peephole, he will see his doppelgänger gaping at his front door like a deranged stalker.
The moment his feet hit the pavement outside the apartment building, he’s already dialing his phone.
“Bug, what does it mean if Henry’s banging a guy that looks exactly like me?”
“Hello to you too, Alejandro.”
“Nora.” He groans, weaving his way through the busy street, “Give June the phone.”
He can hear June protest loudly in the background before Nora speaks again, “Not a fucking chance, it’s just getting juicy.”
“I hate you.”
“Do you really think June wants to have this conversation with you?”
Alex pauses, now realising that maybe he needs more friends to be able to discuss this shit with, “Fair enough. Fine. What do you think?”
“I think the guy wants to fuck you.”
“Really?”
“Ew. You sound far too hopeful.”
“Come on. ” He whines into the receiver, ignoring the startled look the man that is almost pressed to his side gives him, “I am in a crisis.”
“I think that the guy shows up once a week to see you. Online flower deliveries exist, you know? Also phone orders. Also if he’s banging someone that looks like you then you’re at the very least his type.”
“Hmm,” Alex lets the words sink in as he crosses the street, “Okay. Now what?”
“Confess? Fall in love? Fuck him and hope he invests in a nicer bouquet for you? Fuck if I know.”
“You aren’t funny. I’m spiralling in the streets of New York.”
“Whatever. Get back to work.”
“Nora.”
She lets out a sigh, one he knows clear as day, “Come over later, we’ll talk it out.”
He grins, “Thanks.”
“Later hater.” And she disconnects the line before he has a chance to do it himself.
He doesn’t get much work done for the rest of the day, but he also can’t fight the goofy smile that’s on his lips.
💐
Once is coincidental, but by the third time a front door is opened to find him standing face to face with a clone of his is a pattern.
The guy absolutely must think he’s a psychopath by the way he grins at him as he practically shoves the flowers into Marco’s outstretched hands but he doesn’t fucking care.
Henry thinks he’s hot - and he can work with that.
Alex
if ur not out stalking your next victim, do u wanna go get a drink
Henry 🌹😭
Are you texting the right number?
Alex
don’t make me change my mind, fox
tonight at 8? @ fancies
Henry 🌹😭
I’ll be there.
Alex has approximately three hours to make himself look so unbearably sexy that Henry will combust at the sight of him.
Alex
i need your help
irl chaos demon
cmover. Bring chips
Which is how Alex finds himself, a grown ass man of twenty four years, twirling in a circle in his sister’s girlfriend’s bedroom as she inhales an entire bag of chips that were meant to be shared.
“Mm, somehow I think they make your ass look too big.” She comments after a loud crunch, sucking the dust off one of her fingers as Alex wonders how the fuck they ever hooked up.
“No such thing.” He insists. “And Henry strikes me as an ass man.”
Nora rolls her eyes, leaning forward and reaching out to untuck his shirt but he smacks her cheeto dust fingers away before she can stain it. He untucks it himself, unbuttons two buttons, frowns at himself in the mirror and rebuttons one more.
“You’re overthinking this so hard. The guy is single, it’s a Saturday night. You’re hot. Buy him a drink and boom - sex.”
“Boom sex? Really? That’s the route we’re going here.”
“Yep.” She tips the rest of the bag into her mouth, crumbs spilling into her lap. “It has literally never failed me. You know when June and I first hooked up-“
He smacks his palms over his ears, “La, la, la, la, la-“
“Alright, alright,” She laughs. “Go get your man, Alejandro. June’s staying here tonight so her apartment is all yours.”
He nods determinedly, craning his neck and staring down at himself, “Definitely not too big. You’re fucking crazy.”
He just about manages to duck the pillow she lobs at him.
💐
After arriving almost a half an hour early, Alex leans against the bar, glass of whiskey in hand as he stares pointedly at the door. At eight on the dot, the door carefully opens, a rush of cool air wafting through the room as Henry makes his way inside.
He hasn’t spotted Alex yet and he takes a moment to just take Henry in all his glory. As always, he’s dressed well, but the light blue button up mixed with the dim bar lighting somehow makes his eyes shine even more and Alex is painfully obsessed with it.
When his eyes meet Alex’s he smiles timidly, raising a hand in greeting as he weaves his way through the crowd.
“Hey,” Alex says, “you made it.”
Henry leans in against the bar, his lips close to Alex’s ear to be heard over the buzzing chatter around them. Alex shudders at the sensation, “Hello. Thank you for inviting me. The customer service is truly getting top tier.”
“It’s a punch card thing. Buy ten bouquets and get a drink with the owner.”
Henry throws his head back in a laugh and Alex’s eyes zone in on the smooth expanse of his throat. He takes a long sip of whiskey.
“So is your uh…is June joining us?”
“June? Nah, she’s at home with Nora.” At least they had been three minutes ago when Alex had been frantically texting them wondering if Henry would show up.
Henry nods, his face slightly pinched before he says, “Nora?”
“Yeah, she nearly ruined my shirt with her fucking cheeto hands. Dust all over them.”
Henry looks at him blankly for a moment before saying, “Right. Shall we sit?”
Alex nods eagerly, pushing himself off the bar and following Henry towards one of the small booths in the corner. He has a brief moment of existential panic as Henry slides into the couch as he wonders if he should sit next to him or across from him.
Big night, big moves.
He sits next to him, which seems to take Henry by surprise as his eyebrows shoot up.
“Hi.” Alex says, putting his glass down on the table and turning to face the other man.
He is pulling out all the stops - puppy dog eyes, hair’s a fucking mess (but in a hot way) and he even unbuttoned that second button again. If this doesn’t get Henry then nothing will.
“H-hello.” Henry says, and even in the dim light Alex can see the blush.
“I guess you’re wondering why I brought you here today.”
“To kill me? You’re getting very…bond villain on me right now.” Henry’s nose scrunches when he smiles.
“Hey, I’m not the one getting a mile long shit list filled with NYC’s most eligible bachelors.”
“It’s not a shit list.”
“I’m the one that has to see them. They crumple before my eyes, hearts entirely broken and then they look up at the moon and swear revenge.” He is getting utterly, painfully off topic but he can’t stop talking, not when it brings that wide smile to Henry’s face.
“You deliver in broad daylight.” Henry rests his elbow against the back of the booth, propping up his cheek with the palm of his hand.
“The moon is still there even if you can’t see it. That is basic first grade science, Henry.”
“Who was the worst one?”
“Ooh, Dustin. Man was jacked. I thought he was going to shove my head through a wall.”
“He’s a softie. He cried after sex.” Henry says thoughtfully, getting a faraway look in his eye that Alex quickly wants to shake him out of.
“Alright, no need to have a flashback. He got all macho bro on me, and asked if I was your boyfriend.”
“Really?” This catches Henry’s attention, “That must have been awkward for you.”
Alex scoffs, “Of course not. I would be so lucky.”
There. Can’t get more obvious than that.
Henry’s face falls and the sight makes Alex’s stomach churn.
In an effort to salvage it before he shoves his foot entirely into his own mouth he says, “Also that Shane dude looked like he was going to burst into tears when he read the note.”
“Oh,” Henry pouts slightly, “I did feel quite badly about that one.”
“Have you really never considered a second date with any of them?”
“I haven’t.” Henry says without hesitation, “But I make it very clear from the get go.”
“Can I ask why?” His head tilts inward slightly until he and Henry are face to face, the space between them minimal.
“I…” Henry huffs out a laugh that sounds more hollow than everything, “They’re just not the one.”
“How do you know?” Alex wonders if Henry can hear how hard his heart is pounding against his chest, if he can see the outline of it against his shirt.
Henry’s eyes meet his, piercing blue and practically twinkling beneath the fairy lights above the booth, “I just do.”
They’re staring at each other in silence, Henry’s eyes wide and Alex finds himself getting lost in the mismatched colour specks within them. It’s only when Henry’s lips part, letting out a soft breath between them does Alex move.
He could blame the whiskey, the ambience or even his own stupidity for what he does next but it all comes down to those goddamn baby blues. How they dart down to Alex’s lips before meeting his eyes once more.
The kiss is soft, warm and everything he has been thinking about for the last few months.
He can feel more so than hear the sharp exhale Henry lets out through his nose as Alex presses further into his space, pressing forward with his tongue and letting out a low groan as Henry’s lips part for him.
It’s perfect, it’s like a dream coming true and -
“What the fuck are you doing?”
The illusion shatters as Henry’s hand shoves at Alex’s chest, sending him flying back against the booth. He’s panting, eyes wide as he stares at Henry who is glaring at him, looking entirely ruffled and confused and downright angry.
“I am so sorry.” He says immediately, “I read the signals wrong, I didn’t mean to-“
“How could you do that?” Henry says, running a hand through his hair, “How could I let you do that? Oh my God, I am a horrible person.”
“Woah, what-“
“I have to go.” Henry jumps to his feet, sliding out of the booth and disappearing into the crowd as Alex attempts to call after him.
By the time Alex makes it outside, Henry is long gone.
💐
Even after a week, a dozen texts and two nights in a row where he downs an entire bottle of wine - Alex cannot understand what the fuck happened in the bar that night.
He thought he read the signals, he thought Henry was into him. But nothing he can think of would have him giving a reaction of that much… disgust at Alex kissing him.
Bruised ego aside, Alex is just really fucking sad. Which June has noticed.
“I’m not even going to give you shit about how much you’ve been charging him for those bouquets.” June says as she stares down at the invoices. “Because you are heartbroken and I will save it until I need you to do something for me.”
“Understood.” Alex says glumly as he twirls a white ribbon around his fingers, “He’s not coming back, is he?”
June’s sympathetic pat on the back is answer enough.
“I wish I just knew why. I’m hardly that bad? I know I’m a lot but fucking hell he hasn’t even seen that side of me yet, and he’s already disgusted?”
“Disgusted seems a bit harsh, Lil Bit.”
“You didn’t see his face. He looked horrified.” Alex can’t get the image of it out of his mind; Henry’s wide eyes, mouth agape and hand pressed to his lips, “I’ve texted him a million times, even to just apologise but he hasn’t responded to a single one. I don’t know what to do.”
“If it’s meant to be, it’ll be.” June says sagely, shoving the invoices under the register, “My girlfriend had to deal with your sorry ass before she ended up with me. Things work out when they’re supposed to.”
Alex nods.
“Are you okay?”
He offers her a smile, “I will be. I can finish up here if you wanna head home.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I’ll manage.”
“Okay. I’ll pick up dinner.” She goes up on her tiptoes and smacks an exaggerated kiss onto his cheek, ruffling his hair as he tries to shove her away.
No more than five minutes after she leaves, right before Alex is about to lock up, the bell chimes and Alex plasters on his fakest customer service smile as he goes to greet them.
The man is unfamiliar, and he would definitely remember. His hair is the colour of a highlighter, bright pink and vibrant as he wears an entirely unbuttoned shirt with dark jeans. He glances around the shop as he approaches the counter, only looking at Alex once he’s reached him.
“Hello,” he says, “Nice place you have here.”
“Thank you.” Alex says, wondering if he’s about to get mugged. The guy moves like an assassin, slow, swift and calculating. He’s kind of obsessed with it.
The man leans against the counter, looking up at Alex with curious eyes. He glances down at the business cards, before back up at Alex, “Are you the Alex of Alex and June?”
“That would be me.” This would certainly be the most polite mugging he has ever had.
“Cute idea. Husband and wife owned florist. You don’t see many family owned businesses in New York these days.”
“Oh no.” His face scrunches up, “June is my sister. Family owned though, you’re right.”
“Really?” The man looks positively delighted with this information, “Do you bring in the whole gang for it? Your wife? Kids?”
“Uh…none of those.” He pauses, “Are you hitting on me?”
“No, pet. I’m just curious about a small business in my neighbourhood. Do you do deliveries?”
“We do.” Alex says slowly, watching as a wide grin spreads across the man’s face, not dissimilar to a Cheshire cat, “When would you be looking for it?”
“Today? I know it’s terribly last minute but something has come up. I’m willing to pay extra.”
Alex shrugs, sliding over his notepad and pen, “What’s the address? I can take a look.” He glances at it once he’s finished writing and nods, “That’s about a block away from me, I can deliver it on my way home when I head out from here.”
“Oh would you?” The man claps his hands giddily, “You are a knight in shining armour, babes.”
“What kind of bouquet?”
“Something that screams romance . A love confession of sorts.”
Alex can’t help the small smile that comes to his face, “I know the one.”
He had designed it himself, in the depths of his latest self pity session but June loved it so much she demanded he make extras.
Red, white and peach roses bundled together with a bright blue ribbon that had made him think of Henry’s eyes. He had originally made it with him in mind, wanting to give it to him and see the way his smile lit up his face as he took them.
He had put the latest one together in hopes of seeing Henry today, as foolish as that makes him because he knew Henry wouldn’t even step foot in the building. But he had hoped.
He grabs it from the back, in a clear vase that June had ordered in, “How about this?”
“It’s stunning.” The man breathes, tracing one of the peach petals, “How much?”
“Nah,” Alex waves it off. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Are you sure? I can-“
“Seriously. I had other plans for this bouquet but they fell through. They’d go to waste otherwise.”
“You are a catch, fine sir.”
Alex snorts out a laugh, “Thanks. I needed that.”
The man clicks his tongue sympathetically, “Rough go of it?”
He doesn’t know what it is that makes him feel this comfortable around a complete stranger. Maybe it’s the luminous pink hair - or maybe it’s the British accent, so reminiscent of Henry. Either way, he spills his guts.
“I uh…I really like a guy and I made a move and got completely shut down.” He shrugs as he feels the familiar hurt crawl up his chest again, “Which is totally fine but…you know.”
“I do.” The man coos sympathetically, “I’m sure it’ll turn around, strumpet.”
“Maybe.” He clears his throat, blinking a few times to clear his eyes, “Anyway. Do you want to leave a card?”
“No need.” The man says, “He’ll know what it’s for.”
“And who is he?”
“Oh!” The man laughs brightly, “Silly me. They’re for Hazza.”
“Got it. Hazza is a lucky man…?” He trails off to let the man fill in the gap.
“Pez. Charmed.” He says with a wink. “And I’m sure he’s about to be.”
Before Alex can question the eerie statement, Pez blows him a kiss and goes out the front door without another word.
Weird. Okay.
As he carries the bouquet down the streets of New York, all he can think about is Henry.
The last text he had sent was that morning, simply reading I’m sorry again. You know where I am if you want to talk.
It has since gone unanswered.
By the time he reaches what is a stunning brownstone, even for New York standards, he’s drained, tired, and downright sad. He just wants to go home, stuff his face full of Thai food and pass out in front of the TV while June goes on about the Princess Diaries reboot.
He knocks three times in succession, short quick raps and his foot taps against the pavement of the front step as he waits for it to be opened.
When it’s pulled open, he plasters his customer service smile on, “Delivery for Haz- oh.”
Because Henry is standing in front of him, blinking owlishly as he stares at Alex holding a massive love confession from another man that he had made with him in mind.
This feels like one of his abuela’s old telenovelas that he used to watch religiously.
“Oh.” Henry says, looking adorably ruffled in a pair of striped pyjamas. “Alex. What are you doing here?” He doesn’t look at the flowers, eyes fully trained on Alex as his lips twitch slightly.
“I uh…these are for you.”
“For me? How do you know where I live? Alex-“
“Pez? I think his name was. He asked for these to be delivered to you.” He forces the smile onto his face, “Seems serious.”
“Pez sent these.” Henry says flatly, a frown coming across his face before he lets out a groan, “That bastard.”
“Uh…I’m sorry?”
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. Thank you. I’ll take these-“
“Can we talk?” Alex asks, clutching the flowers to his chest as Henry reaches for them, as though they’re a bargaining chip to get him through the door.
“Alex-“
“Please?” His eyes flutter as he strains to keep them steady under the heady force of Henry’s gaze on him.
For a moment, it looks as though Henry’s going to say no, to close the door in Alex’s face and say goodbye for good. Instead, he wordlessly takes a slight step back, opening the door and leaving a gap for Alex to enter through.
With a nod, Alex ducks under his arm and into Henry’s home.
It’s exactly what he expected. Wide open space, not much furnishings, but a floor to ceiling bookshelf bursting at the seams with well organised books. The walls are bare, a plain cream colour, but every free surface in the living room is covered with framed photos.
Before Alex can comment, a small beagle appears at his feet, nosing at his shoes.
“Oh, hello.” He says, tucking the vase under one arm so he can crouch down to pet him, “Who are you?”
“That’s David.” Henry chimes in quietly.
In any other situation, Alex would absolutely be commenting on what a bizarre fucking name for a dog that is, but it doesn’t seem like the right time. When he straightens back up, Henry reaches for the flowers and Alex passes them to him silently.
He watches as Henry moves towards the kitchen, still in sight as he puts the flowers on his counter. Henry doesn’t turn for a few moments, head tilted down towards the flowers, hands flexing on the counter top.
“Look,” Alex starts, “I’m sorry. I know I’ve said it a thousand times already but I am. I shouldn’t have kissed you, that was really shitty of me.”
Henry doesn’t answer and Alex’s heart detaches entirely from its perch, falling through his ribs like a pinball, each clunk another stab until it settles deep in his gut. Panic fills every inch of him as he realises how desperately he has fucked this up.
So he rambles.
“Those flowers were meant for you.” He can’t stop the words, no matter how much his mind is screaming at him to shut up, “Ironic, isn’t it? I made them with you in mind and now I get to deliver them to you from your new boyfriend.”
Henry’s hands curl into fists, stark against the crisp white countertop. When he doesn’t speak, Alex keeps going.
“I was going to give them to you today. I thought maybe you would still show up. Stupid, I know.” He laughs darkly as David curls up at his feet, snuffling quietly, “I know you want nothing to do with me, I know you don’t want me like that and I get it. I genuinely, truly get it. But I just really want you to know how fucking sorry I am for kissing you. I thought you were into me, I read the signals wrong, that’s all.”
“That’s all?” Henry finally speaks, tone irate as he whirls around, storming towards Alex and pointing a finger at him, the digit shaking as it lingers beneath his chin, “How dare you kiss me when you have a bloody wife and child?”
Normally when Alex is in the wrong, he can admit it. Usually not right away, and not without a strong defence on his behalf. But in this moment, all he can do is gape at Henry, blinking at the furious expression on his face as it stares down at him.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“June?” He presses on, eyes blazing, voice so deep that it is doing something to Alex that it definitely shouldn’t be, given the situation, “ Nora?”
“Why are you calling my sister and her girlfriend my wife and child?”
His words make Henry stumble back a step, staring at Alex with his mouth hanging open, likely exactly how Alex looked thirty seconds ago, “Excuse me?”
“June? Claremont Diaz? My sister?”
“And Nora with the cheeto dust fingers is…”
“…her girlfriend.” Alex finishes.
“Oh.” Henry says, “Oh.”
“Is that why you pushed me away?” He asks quietly, unable to fathom the thought of being wrong about this twice, “Because you thought I was married?”
“Yes.” Henry says, voice cracking around the syllable, “I was disgusted. With myself more than anything.”
“I’m not married.” Alex says, rather helpfully, “Very single. No kids.”
“Mhm.” Henry says, eyes playful as he stares at him, his cheek divoting where he’s biting the inside of it, “Really?”
“I’m kind of hung up on this guy who has been grossly underpaying for his flower arrangements.”
“I bloody well knew you were undercharging me.”
“Who also has been hooking up with guys that look exactly like me.” Maybe he’s fishing, but he doesn’t care.
Henry’s cheeks turn that adorable shade of pink, “In my defence, I thought you were married.”
“Yet none of them were the one.”
“No, I suppose they weren’t.”
“Could I be?”
Henry regards him with a smile, “Maybe. Your customer service needs work, though.”
“Wait.” Alex leans back as Henry moves towards him, “What about Pez?”
“What about Pez?” Henry’s hand reaches out, landing on his forearm and staying there. The skin warms beneath his touch.
“He seems like a nice dude…I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes here.”
“No toe stepping, I assure you. Pez is my best mate, nothing more.”
“So why did he -“ Alex cuts himself off with a wicked grin, “You told him all about me, didn’t you?”
“Shut up. I am begging you to shut up.”
“You told him that you’re obsessed with me and he came to check me out. That’s why he asked if I was married.”
“I am pulling up Yelp as we speak-“
“You little homewrecker.”
“I will run your business into the bloody ground.”
“Before you do that, you should probably kiss me.” Alex says cheerily, tilting his face upward and slightly puckering his lips.
“And why don’t you kiss me?” Henry asks as he takes another step forward.
“Because you owe me one and I can’t move because David is asleep on my foot and I would rather die than wake him.”
Henry looks at him, really looks at him and all Alex can see in those baby blues is warmth and affection and a dash of something more. And then he’s leaning in close, hand raising to cup Alex’s cheek as he finally, blissfully kisses him.
Every inch of Alex’s body lights up like a live-wire, sparks travelling up his spine in quick succession, only growing as Henry licks into his mouth. The groan he lets out reverberates in the space between him and he wants more. He wants whatever the fuck Henry is willing to give and he wants it now.
“I…” He breathes as Henry pulls back, pecking a kiss onto Alex’s nose before pressing their foreheads together, “I want you.”
“What do you want, love?” Henry murmurs, the affection in the singular word washing over him like a tidal wave, “I’ll give you anything.”
“See the dilemma is…I really want you to fuck me.” His voice is quiet, afraid to break the spell, and he can feel Henry’s body seize against his own, “But I really don’t want to wake the dog.”
Henry lets out a soft huff, a smile spreading across his lips betraying his amusement, “Would you rather stand here for the evening while I go get myself off?”
“Sorry buddy.” Alex scoops the dog up into his arms, David letting out a huff of his own as he deposits him on the couch, pulling s throw blanket over him, “Duty calls.”
“I’m not duty.” Henry says as he grabs Alex’s wrist, dragging him up the stairs.
Another time, Alex will make fun of the lavish home, pointing out the obscenely expensive knick knacks that line the surfaces of it. Another time, he’ll stand in the kitchen, Henry pressed against his back as he dices onions, something delicious boiling on the stove. Another time, he’ll reminisce on the day they met as they sprawl together on the couch, legs intertwined and David snoring at their feet.
For now though, he has other business to attend to.
He ends up on his back, panting heavily as Henry takes his time undressing, unbuttoning each button with delicate precision, folding it along with his striped pants and placing them on a chair in the corner. By the time he’s standing in just his boxers, Alex is completely naked, having shucked off his clothes in seconds and letting them fall in a pile at the side of the bed.
Henry opens his mouth, likely to tease, when his cheeks darken, eyes widening as his gaze zones in on Alex’s cock.
“Come here, baby.” He murmurs, propping himself up against the headboard and watching as Henry shudders at the words, “Please?”
Henry nods, barely a slight movement of his head but he ends up kneeling between Alex’s spread legs, leaning down into his space until he’s hovering over him.
“You are so beautiful.” Henry murmurs, tracing a hand down the side of Alex’s face, who shivers under the attention, “I am so lucky.”
“I’m the lucky one.” Alex says with a gasp as Henry ducks his head down, planting kisses along his collarbone, making his way up his throat.
“What card did you write?” Henry asks with a sharp nip to his jawline, “On the flowers.”
“I didn’t write one.” Alex says, and the words feel as though they carry a weight, “There wasn’t a need.”
Henry kisses him in response and Alex melts into the touch. He can’t help the whimper that spills out from his lips as Henry presses in closer, the motion making his clothed cock press directly again where Alex is bare and painfully hard.
The whimper transforms into a full fledged moan that echoes in the room as Henry reaches down, wrapping his hand around him.
“You’re so wet.” Henry murmurs, almost reverently as he moves painfully slowly, using it as lube and Alex positively keens, “So gorgeous.”
“I want…” He gasps, “You…please.”
“How do you want me, love?”
The groan Alex lets out is almost pained as he manages to get the words out, “Fuck me, baby. Hard.”
Henry’s hand falters for no more than a second before he’s leaning in, kissing Alex open mouthed, tongue delving in before he can comprehend what’s going on.
“Hang on, love.” Henry says as Alex whines from the loss of contact, “I need to get some things.”
“Well hurry it up.”
Henry leans over to his bedside table, rifling through the drawer before pulling out a half full bottle of lube and a condom, “Does my review depend on it?”
The flash of jealousy that Alex feels from the sight of a bottle is completely irrational, and he knows it is. But he knows his emotions show clear as day on his face as Henry comes back between his legs.
“Alex,” He says softly, tilting his chin up so they’re eye to eye, “I only want you. This is the real deal for me, I promise.”
“For me too.” Alex replies, and the smile he gets in return is breathtaking.
“Good.”
“I can’t believe you fucked my dopplegangers.” Alex says, “How freaky was it?”
“Insanely.” Henry says with a laugh, “But none of them compare to you.”
In any other situation, Alex would roll his eyes at the absolute line being used on him. But from Henry it’s genuine, he knows it is.
He spreads his legs a little wider, pressing his head back into the pillow in an open invitation he’s begging Henry to take.
With soft, precise fingers, Henry uncaps the lube with a quiet snick that roars in Alex’s ears, coating his fingers before leaning down to trace around Alex’s rim with a singular digit. Before Alex can even think to ask for more , he’s pressing in, slow and sure, right up to the first knuckle.
Alex murmurs his approval, eyes open and trained on the beautiful man hovering over him, who’s looking at him like he’s something to be revered.
“So gorgeous.” Henry murmurs as he moves his finger, “So good for me.”
The whine Alex lets out is involuntary, but before he can say anything, Henry’s smile turns mischievous.
“You like being good, don’t you love?”
“Yes.” He gasps as Henry uses the opportunity to add a second finger, “Oh fuck yes.” His hips move of their own accord, desperately trying to get him deeper.
“If you feel this good around my fingers, I can’t imagine how good you’ll feel around my cock.” Henry says idly, as though discussing the weather and Alex wants to throttle his beautiful fucking face.
“If you keep talking like that, this will be over very quickly.”
Henry smirks, “It won’t be.” And in goes the third finger.
The gasp that Alex lets out is closer to a shout as Henry immediately curls all three fingers, pressing the pads of them directly against his prostate. His knees shake from where they’re pressed against Henry’s hips and he doesn’t know how much more he can take.
“Please.” He pants, “Now, please.”
“Alex-“
“For fucks sake, just fucking fuck me, Fox!”
“Try saying that five times fast.” Henry says, before pulling his fingers out and leaving Alex horrifically empty. “So good, love. So good for me, hang on. Won’t be a moment.”
His eyes clench shut at the throbbing in his lower half as he can do nothing but wait. Seconds pass like hours as his legs fall entirely open, thighs pressed to the white sheets beneath him.
A moment passes, then another and then-
“Holy fuck.” Alex’s hands clench into the sheets below, dragging them outward as Henry’s cock presses into him, “Fuck, you’re big.”
Henry grits his teeth, “Stop talking or this is about to be over very quickly.”
“It won’t be.” Alex retorts with a cheeky smile that quickly becomes an open mouthed moan that is entirely guttural as Henry presses in, inch by painstaking inch.
No words pass between them, the only sound being harsh breaths as Henry continues to slowly press in. By the time he’s bottomed out, cock entirely inside of Alex and nestled perfectly against his prostate, they’re both sweating, chests rising and falling rapidly as they stare at each other.
“Henry,” He tries to put it into words, but he can’t, “Baby.”
“I know love.” Henry’s hand reaches down to brush sweat slicked curls from his forehead, “It’s okay.”
“Move.”
And Henry, for once, doesn’t talk back, he pulls back slightly and thrusts in once more, a barely there movement that still makes stars explode behind his eyelids. One of his hands reaches up, curling around the back of Henry’s neck and resting there against the small hairs at his nape.
Each thrust knocks a whimper out of Alex, growing louder and louder the closer he gets to the brink.
“Baby…I can’t…”
Henry continues to thrust with earnest, pressing closer until Alex is practically bent in half, his legs hitching around his waist. He uses his heels, locked around Henry’s back, to pull him in deeper, clenching tighter to keep him there.
“Right there.” He gasps as Henry’s cock hits his prostate, sending the familiar sparks licking up his spine. The familiar coil in his lower half is tightening and he knows he can’t last much longer, “Oh God that’s it.”
Henry mutters a curse, pressing an open mouthed kiss to the corner of Alex’s lips, lingering there as he fucks him with abandon, Alex’s heels pulling him in impossibly deeper.
“I’m…gonna - fuck, come. Oh God .” Alex can hardly get out a full sentence, each thrust making his brain rattle around in his skull like a loose marble.
He can feel Henry’s hand reach down, stroking his cock firmly in time with his thrusts. The moment Henry’s lips touch his ear, he knows he’s fucking done for.
“Come for me, love.”
And he’s gone, crashing over the edge with a broken moan, back arching as he clenches down around Henry’s cock. Even through the ringing of his ears, he can hear a breathless laugh spill from Henry’s lips as he follows him, slumping against his chest once they’ve ridden out their orgasms.
“Christ.”
“Agreed.”
He loses track of how long they lie there, Henry’s delicate fingers tracing imperceptible patterns against the hairs on Alex’s chest. Eventually, they have to pull apart, Alex’s whine silenced by Henry’s lips on his.
The clean up doesn’t take long and before he can even realise how tired he is, he’s pulled against Henry’s chest, bare legs tangled together underneath the blanket.
“So…” Alex clears his throat, “Not to be the annoying one night stand but…what are we?”
“Many things I suppose.” He can hear the smile in Henry’s voice that manages to unravel the thread of anxiety threatening to spool within him, “Friends. Acquaintances. Customer who will be leaving that horrible review and very unprofessional business owner.”
“Boyfriends? Like the kind that don’t date anyone else and don’t need to have one night stands?”
“Hmm. Those too I suppose.”
“Good.” Alex nestles in deeper, pressing a soft kiss to the bare skin on display, “I want that.”
“You are perfect.” Henry says, planting a kiss on the top of his head and the wave of affection Alex feels makes him want to vomit.
The lump in his throat is hard to fight, “I’m not. Not even close.”
He can feel Henry shrug, “You are to me.”
And the smile on Alex’s face remains long after he drifts off to sleep, wrapped in Henry’s arms.
💐
HGEJFMCW99 left a review!
Interesting place of business, very unprofessional owner with a penchant for sass, unwarranted opinions and peculiar insults.
I have become a frequent customer, though I do not need to utilise the delivery service as of late.
Despite the attitude, he has beautiful flower arrangements, willing to deliver on the day of and have your awkward conversations for you.
I think I’m in love with him.
EDIT; uh, yeah. he absolutely fucking is and he says the owner is the hottest, best florist in the NYC area.
EDIT 2; the COUNTRY
EDIT 3; I retract my ‘I love you’
EDIT 4; no u don’t
EDIT 5; No, I don’t