Chapter Text
"But why do I have to gooooooo?" Alex whines.
June rolls her eyes heavenwards, "Alex, don't piss me off, I'm already in a mood," June warns him. "You know exactly why we are going."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Alex intones as he flops on her bed, staring at her stupid canopy, "I hate your stupid canopy."
"Good for both of us, it is mine and I like it," June turns to smile brightly at him, her eyes promising him an elaborate death.
She's 'packing', as in, running around her room in a manic frenzy.
Alex boos at her, very maturely, and continues, "Okay lemme count the reasons in the list. One," he says pointing his forefinger up, "It's your last summer before your 'big girl job'." June hums distractedly, her mind busy calculating whether her cleanser will last all summer or if she should bring a backup.
"Two, Bea is free this summer."
"Three, you don't know when your schedule might align like this again."
"Hmhmm."
Four fingers up, "Four, this is the first time we get to go without our parents, because you're all grown up." Alex makes a face.
"Yep."
"Okay, but none of those reasons explain why I have to come!" he whines.
"You forgot the most important reason - this trip is both my graduation present and getting a 'big girl job' present. Whatever I say goes."
"But buuuugggg!" Alex sits up, sluggishly and pouts, "It's my summer before college too, I wanna chill here. I don't want to be where Henry is! You know how much I hate him, so why are you making me go through my personal hell during my vacation? Show some mercy, Santa Catalina."
"Mercy denied. You're seventeen years old! Have some shame. Anyways, it's your summer vacation and that's exactly why you should come with me. If I leave you alone without any supervision, you're going to enroll in some stupid course or join mom at her office and will spend your entire summer not taking a day's rest! It's not like you are going to forget how to study or something."
"But I might!"
"You know what? Good. Great even. That will be the best outcome ever." June gives him another sunny smile as moves to her closet.
Alex does not want to be here when she's deep into that Narnia ass cupboard and starts asking him suggestions.
But..
But..
"But Henry!" he moans, petulantly. "The sight of him- arrghh" he strangles the air.
"Has Bee ever been that annoying?" June gives him a look and says, "Alex, seriously, do not annoy me. You know what, ask Nora to come with us." Alex likes that idea. "She might help in shutting you the fuck up. Anyways, I have so much to do and you have to pack too so go do that because I'm dragging you by your fucking ear if I have to." Alex grumbles, flopping sideways on the bed and screaming.
June can feel the headache looming behind her eyelids. Her brother…
"If anything helps, Henry doesn't know you're coming so…" June trails off.
Alex sits up so fast that his head spins for a second. "YO? What? He doesn't?"
"Yeah. Apparently Henry is much better of a brother than you, he didn't ask one single question," June purses her lips as she looks down at Alex but Alex is too far gone in his head to care.
Henry doesn't know.
Henry doesn't know!!
Oh. This is the best thing ever. That one moment of seeing Henry's face fall seeing him waiting at the lake house would be so worth it.
He gets up and rushes to pack.
-
Tap screen.
Fingerprint.
Open maps.
Check if they're on the correct path (it's a straight route).
Check the minutes remaining (three minutes since the last check.)
Sigh.
Click the power button.
Sigh again watching the black screen.
And… repeat.
Bea is practically vibrating in her seat, and Henry almost doesn't want to tease her because after everything she has gone through, it is heartwarming to see her visibly happy.
Almost.
"Have I ever mentioned that I am very happy about you and June reconnecting?" Henry asks, grinning.
"Why, no, brother dearest, you have never!" Bea rolls her eyes.
"Well then, I must say, I love that you and June reconnected," Henry says cheekily, but his face is too fond for it.
Bea's face softens, and says softly, "I know. I think she's the best thing that has ever happened to me."
Henry reaches and squeezes her hand, both thinking about how bad they had it a few years ago.
Pez makes an exaggerated hurt sound, theatrically clutching his chest, "Beatrice, how could you?" The tension breaks and Bea blows out a raspberry and laughs.
Pez sniffles, wiping his non-existent tears and goes, "Well, at least I'll have one best friend for myself even though I'm profoundly disappointed that Hazza's true BFF would not be there. It would have been rather delightful to meet the man from the epic tales."
Henry's whole face tightens, all of the previous joy gone. "Pez, now why would you bring him up? Stop ruining the mood," he admonishes. "I'm so glad he's not coming. Arsehole." Henry scowls.
Pez giggles, having got exactly what he wanted. Henry's reaction on the slightest mention of Alexander Claremont-Diaz will never ever be not funny, but as he turns to Bea to laugh with her, he sees her biting her lips and fidgeting with her ring.
A tell!
Guilty tell!
"Beatrice, babe?" Percy asks, narrowing his eyes but his lips twitch, he knows where this is going. Oh, this is going to be fun.
"Bea?" Henry whispers, aghast.
"I'm so sorry," Beatrice squeaks out.
And Henry gasps.
Very dramatically, if you ask Pez.
"Don't tell me!"
"Oh, do tell!"
"It's their lake house. Of course he's coming." Bea squeaks.
"You told me he isn't coming!"
"I never did! You just assumed." Bea protests.
"You traitor!" Henry cries. "No way! No fucking way! All fucking summer! No way" Henry mutters, looking homicidal.
"I'm going to go back home," He says. "Jeffrey, please turn the car back." Henry shouts, startling the driver.
"Jeffrey, do not listen to him! You drive straight and drive fast!" Bea orders.
"No, don't listen to her Jeffrey! Turn the car! Now!"
"Jeffrey, do NOT."
Pez pulls and restrains as Henry starts flailing his arms and covers his mouth with another hand to muffle his screaming, but he's also laughing so hard so his efforts are not that effective.
"Henry! Henry! HENRY! SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Bea screams over him.
Henry doesn't.
"Shut! Up! I do not care what you have to say. The map says we are like 20 minutes away, so shut up and come to terms with it quickly and quietly." She snaps.
"This is about me and June. This is for me and June, but I would also like to spend time with you so… I lied by omission," Bea pouts. "Please? For me? We can do next summer as exactly as you wish. I promise!" Bea promises.
Henry finally stops, his chest heaving. "Can I safely take my hands off or will you restart your tantrums?" Pez asks and laughs when Henry licks his palm, but doesn't take away his hand.
Henry nods sulkily.
"Excellent choice, my darling!" Pez says and Henry elbows his stomach.
"Not just summer! This Christmas AND New year's," Henry points a finger at Bea and narrows his eyes, daring her to deny him.
Bea raises her arms in surrender, "Sure, of course, whatever you want."
"Oh, now that's settled, onto more exciting topics." Pez claps and gushes out, " Alexander Claremont Diaz! I am finally going to meet the most important person in my pookie's life," and pinches Henry's cheek.
Henry swats his hand away, "I'm going to murder you."
"Nooo! Not before I see the dashing Alexander, Henry, I beg thee!"
"When we get there, I'm immediately pushing you into the lake."
"Now let's pull out everything they have on Mr. Alexander, I must be thoroughly informed," Pez says, talking over Henry, "First stop, Instagram!" he announces and he opens Alex's profile with a few taps.
"Why the fuck are you even following him?" Henry shouts, outraged. He's surrounded by backstabbers.
Bea giggles at the scene and opens her chat thread with June, telling everything that has just transpired.
-
Alex, June and Nora are standing on the driveway waiting for the car to arrive. June is bouncing on her toes, checking the live location every other second. Nora has her phone ready to capture the re-union and Alex is.. Alex is sulking. He knows he's being a touch too dramatic so he's away from June's eyes lest he annoys her.
But he's also eager, for like, one percent, just to see Henry's face the moment he sees Alex and be shocked. The only reason he's here and not with Liam and his friends back home.
And he's back to sulking.
His phone vibrates with a text notification. From Nora. He looks up at her and she points to his phone so he opens it and sees the Ken standing mad meme in the dance party scene from Barbie with a text below saying 'you rn'.
He scowls at her and she laughs.
The second June sees the sight of the car, she takes off running, Nora keeps up with June's speed, her with her phone up, camera on. Alex follows at a normal pace.
He knows he's not that interested in this whole summer vacation thing mostly because he is not close with Bea — he didn't try to be, even when he spent the entire time facetiming June when she was staying with Bea living her life as a transfer student in London. He is a bit prejudiced, he knows. And stubborn , June's voice inside his head adds.
He also knows that June and Henry are… a bit close. Not best friends close, but close. They cannot not be close with their mutual affinity for the English language and all variations of Pride and Prejudice . Also it's not like Bea came to stay in Austin like June did. Henry had the advantage of geography.
Truth is, he missed June. Very much. So, that's the only real reason he's here and if this is the price he has to pay, he might as well.
He sees Bea open the door and jump out of the moving car into June's arm and rushes to the scene. So dramatic.
And from the open door, he sees Henry seeing him.
And..
And there is no trace of shock. At all.
Just stony resignation and normal annoyance. He knew.
He knew!
JUNEEEE!!!
He turns to look at his sister and her best friend trying to be spider monkeys and climb each other's arms, simultaneously, and his annoyance grows.
Gritting his teeth, and his palm in a tight fist, he stomps towards them. He'll say hi to Bea first and then focus on June.
"Hello, Bee" he says once they let go of each other. She smiles brightly at him. "Alex!" and jumps in his arms. He laughs and twirls her.
"I can't believe I have grown and you're still this tiny!" Alex cheeks.
"Have you really?" Bea teases back.
"Low blow, honey bee, low blow!" Alex grins and Bea pinches his cheek.
He looks up to see Henry introducing Percy to June and immediately his face tightens. Liar .
"She lied to you, didn't she?" Bea laughs
Alex groans, "Of course she told you about that. Let me go and chew her a new one. Come." and pulls her towards the two.
Henry turns to Percy and June takes one look at his expression and pulls a face, muttering, "Of course she told him, dummy."
Bea giggles and Alex pouts, "You're such a traitor! I don't know why I even came here!"
"Simple, for me!" June smiles angelically and pulls Bea towards Nora.
And he turns towards Henry, his eyes narrowed into slits.
"You knew I was coming!" Alex accuses.
"Of course I did!" Henry scoffs. "It's just a simple conclusion."
"You knew I was coming and still came? To my house? Shameless."
Henry opens his mouth to retort but Pez hip checks him, causing him to stumble to the side.
"He's lying and you must be Alexander! Nice to meet you! I'm a big fan." Pez extends his hand and gives Alex a charming smile. Henry tries to hip check back, but Pez knows him a bit too well so holds his balance.
Alex gives him a considering look, trying to look as if he doesn't know who this is, "Percy 'Pez' Okonjo?" he shakes the extended arm and gives him a cautious smile, testing the waters. He is, after all, Henry's best friend.
"You know it!" Pez winks. Henry mutters something under his breath. Oh, Alex likes him.
"You were saying something about lying?" Nora slides in.
"Oh!" Pez blinks, "You're much much more ethereal in person. I'm honoured to meet you, Miss Nora! I'm Pez, like the sweets." Pez winks and bows, oozing charm.
Nora, the-unflappable-never-ever-got-flustered-in-her-life Nora, to Alex's horror, blushes. AND TUCKS HER HAIR BEHIND HER EARS. He can hear sirens inside his head.
He swivels his head towards Henry and sees the horror mirrored. Why are they both surrounded by such backstabbing jackasses?
"And how do you know me, Pez like the sweets?" Nora cocks her eyebrow.
"He follows me on Instagram," Alex says before Pez could, smirking. "Never comments or likes any post though. Always have wondered why."
Pez laughs, "I was made aware that I wasn't supposed to cozy up with the enemy," and bumps Henry's shoulder with his. Henry's nostrils flare in anger.
"What was Henry here lying about? On that note, Hi, Henry, welcome. I'm Alex's best friend. Deeply sorry he wasn't raised with manners."
"Hey!"
"Hi, Nora. Thank you. Percy, here, who introduced himself, is my best friend. I'm deeply sorry about his behaviour now and henceforth. I can't guarantee he will behave himself, but I will apologize daily. Can we go inside?" Henry pulls his dazzling smile, trying so hard to change the topic. Nora grins. Alex side eyes her with disdain.
"Sure we can. But what did you lie about?" Nora asks sweetly, seeing through his charm.
"Oh, my darling here didn't know Alexander was going to be here. Bea only broke the news twenty minutes ago. He had a big mel-" Henry clamps Pez's mouth shut with his hand and says, "Sorry, when he is tired he talks nonsense, excuse us," and drags him inside leaving Alex and Nora to laugh.
-
They all settle in on the porch, all with a glass of sangria June had made and a plate with a piece of tres leches his dad made and sent with them. The weather is nice and airy, but not cold. The mosquitoes are a pain, but tolerable at the moment.
The excitement, contagious from June and Bea has simmered down, and they are feeling the weariness of the travelling.
Nora brings the old guitar they have in the house and strums a tune and June starts to tell stories about their time living together and reminiscing about the past, pulling everyone in. Alex and Henry keep their bickering, compensating with withering glares even when June starts talking about their past fights and let their sisters have their moment.
A couple of hours pass, then June says, "We are going to sleep in the main bedroom; Alex, your room is for you and Nora; and Hen and Pez, my room is yours to use, Alex will show you guys around! Byeeee."
They chorus bye and she stumbles inside with a giggly Bea hanging on her. The remaining clear out quick, too, because the mosquitoes have become unbearable and not fun anymore.
The next day, June drags him out of the bed to help her make breakfast.
They scuffle for it first. Alex loses.
And Nora gets a kick to her shin because the sight of her sleeping soundly without a care makes Alex so angry that if he were a cartoon character, smoke would come out of his ears. She retaliates by rolling into his side and humming happily.
"It's so fucking early, man," Alex groans.
"It's ten, dummy," June says as she pushes Alex into the bathroom.
"It's fucking summer, you demon! This is why I didn't want to come with you. I could have been sleeping unaware back in DC." Alex huffs through the door.
"Whatever you say, lazy."
"No one wants to be awake now, these idiots won't even wake up for at least another two hours and when they do they'll be hungover as hell. Why do you even want to make breakfast for them? They don't need gourmet stuff, plain toast would do just fine," he says as he finishes brushing his teeth.
"Because they are our guests and we are good hosts,” June pats his head.
"You dragged me here! I'm here because of you! I'm your guest too!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Come make the fucking batter. I've started the coffee. You can have the first pot."
-
By the time everyone comes down — gingerly, holding their heads still with their hands, the table is full with breakfast items, and Alex is very very cranky.
He has been put to work for two and half hours straight making pancakes to fucking freshly squeezed orange juice and he is ready to water board June in said juice.
It does not help seeing Henry's white face rivaling the noon sun in its brightness. Especially when he opens his mouth to say, "June, love, you made us food!" in such a loud voice, making everyone, including himself, wince.
Alex has to, in the privacy of his own mind, give it to Henry on how fast he recovers from the uncalculated move, which makes his anger climb another ten degrees. He hates June so much. He is going to steal a significant amount of her share from their parents' will one day. Maybe this very house. Hmmmm.
"We both made you guys food." June says, ever the diplomatic.
"Coffee, please, coffee." Nora zombie walks into the kitchen. "I'll help!" Pez, with his squinty eyes, shuffles next to her. Alex is already tired of where that is going.
" You?! " Henry exclaims, making everyone, including himself, wince, again.
Alex gives him a dirty look and moves to make himself a plate.
" You can cook?" Henry tries again.
Alex keeps piling up the food. He might even forge some documents and steal from Henry. Bea might even help. Call it reparations. And they never ever sign a single paper. Hmmm.
"Hen, here's your tea," Bea thrusts a cup of tea at Henry's hands. "And shut up! You're making our heads worse." Bea snaps at him.
"Yes, Henry, shut up ! No one wants to listen to your peppa pig voice in the morning, let alone before breakfast." Alex makes a face.
"Psshh! If I have to eat what you have cooked then you can listen to me talk."
" Can you whistle, suzie?" Alex retorts and Bea snorts.
Henry glares at her and says, "Did you know he can cook? Turns out even Alex is capable of something!" he says with a flourish, almost spilling the tea.
Alex takes a deep breath and chews his bacon and imagines it is Henry's brain.
"Hazza. Stop." and Henry does, only for a few minutes to drink his tea. He starts again by grabbing a fork and cuts a piece of pancake drenched in maple syrup straight from Alex's plate and eats it . "It is a bit eggy. A little vanilla must have helped," he hums.
"If you touch my plate one more time, you'd end up in the hospital and no one here will stand witness."
"I'm so scared," he deadpans and closes his eyes with his hands.
Then Henry decides to become even more annoying. It's not his fault Alex is like a trigger happy volcano.
"Ooooh, they made bacon for us! How American!"
"Sunny side up? For me?" that was in an exaggerated American accent.
"Ooohh maple syrup! I wonder if it is the true stuff or just sugar, like everything American?"
"Bea, drink this, apparently it is fresh and not just packaged."
And through it all, Alex recites all the murder laws - first, second and third degree - to keep him on his seat and eat his food.
He can see that the others are ignoring whatever the idiot is saying and are completely in their world. He sees how even Henry is not paying attention and gorging everything on his sight, even the pancakes, which are not eggy, thank you very much, like a fucking goblin. He also sees the maple syrup bottle. Hm.
He gets himself another pancake, pulls the syrup bottle towards him and drowns it in syrup, which Henry sees and says, "Oh, eating that much sugar? What's with Americans and eating like they got free health insurance?"
And that's it.
When he gets up, he picks the bottle and pours it over Henry's head, making sure to pour all over his plate too. "You guys don't get to talk about that with how y'alls teeth look."
"I'll make sure he doesn't get to wash until, at the very least, three flies make him miserable," June says and Bea blows a kiss to her drenched brother.
-
"So, Henry," Nora begins, "Are you guys close with your brother?"
Henry looks up from his book and at Nora, "Phillip?"
"Do y'all have another brother you have stashed away somewhere?" Alex says, his voice a lazy drawl matching the way he's sprawled on the couch.
Henry glares at him and tries to smile at Nora, "As close as one could be with a 12-year age gap. As for Bea… they both try."
Henry is curled up on the old wicker chair in the living room, which, apparently, Oscar brought from his grandparent's house all the way from Mexico. It is so comfy and matches the old-poet vibe he's cultivating that he is seriously thinking about nicking it in the dead of night, but the irony is not lost on him and that's the only thing stopping him.
Bea and June are somewhere, he didn't ask. Pez is upstairs, chatting with his mom over facetime.
Nora is sitting, sorry, sprawled, on the sofa with Alex, both on their phones.
For the first time, (his hair, still wet from washing off the maple syrup) he doesn't feel annoyed with Alex's presence polluting his air. This vacation (it's day one) and fresh air has done some good to his head and he's feeling up to a positive calm afternoon.
"Is he like Bea or like you?" Alex asks, scrunching his face at you , but for the sake of a positive calm afternoon, Henry stifles his in-built reaction to fight back and contemplates on how to phrase how Pip in words.
"He's very… British." he finally says, but ends up sounding like a question.
"And what are you? Irish ?" Alex finger quotes and Nora swats him.
"I mean, like, he's very… monarch British… like, old school," Henry twists his lip, "Well, my grandmother likes him," he trails off. "Even though he doesn't like her much now," he adds, grimacing.
Nora chuckles, "Oh, like that. Understandable."
"We did invite him, if that's what you were going for?" Nora nods, a bit sheepish.
"Well, Martha wanted to go to her grandparents place and Emma will scream the roof down if she doesn't see her daddy for a day so he declined and said," Henry clears his voice and straightens his posture, "You, young people, go and enjoy." mimicking Philip, which makes them all snicker. Yes, even Alex.
Henry feels proud 'cause he won but Alex quickly composes his face and goes back to his phone, immediately.
Prick.
Nora whistles after about ten minutes of silence, "So you two can share space without getting on each other's throat, huh?"
Henry and Alex both tense immediately, battle ready.
"Well," Henry smirks and shrugs, "This the most Alex has been polite in my presence, so."
"You fucker! You are the one who always starts anything! Just like you did this morning!" Alex snaps.
"See?" Henry looks at Nora, "So angry."
"Shut the fuck up! I could be calm as fuck but you are the one who always wants a fight!"
"Oh yeah? Me? Like the time you call me a racist, unprovoked?"
Nora goes, "Yo?"
Now Alex is sitting on the edge, ready to pounce, "Yeah, well, you called me uncivilized and you proved me right, pasty cracker!"
Henry is also up, the book spine cracking in his haste. "Because you said you'll push me in the river Thames, pronouncing it wrongly at that." Henry huffs loftily.
"Oh, fuck you, you motherfucking fuck! How about the time at that party?" he turns to Nora, who did not anticipate this at all, "He told the girl I was talking to that I have crabs!"
"And remember what you did to deserve that, dickhead? You told my dad that I was sneaking in booze!" turning to Nora, he adds, "He ruined everyone's night, and had me grounded for a month!"
"And that's for tripping me on the part before!" Alex accused.
"And when you pushed me into the cake durings Pip's wedding?"
Alex's jaw drops open, "You pushed me into that cake, you drunk fuck! Sipping on champagne flutes, thinking you look so classy." Alex mocks.
"How fucking dare you! You call me drunk? You wanker, you were the one who was drunk as fuck!"
And there goes the positive calm afternoon.
-
🐝👑
Bea…
what in the actual hell happened to hazza?
🐝👑
wdym?
pez???
i came down to a screaming match
im now hiding in my room
🐝👑
again 😭
alex?????
eeyupp
the one and only
🐝👑
i cannot believe those two!!! ughhh
whole ass adults
umm.. but what even happened to him????
🐝👑
alex.
alex happened to him!
so… its always like this?
i thought he was doing a bit
🐝👑
ugh no🙄😒
he actually downplays
😯
and alex? is it him 🫤👀
🐝👑
june says alex is like 10x more annoying at the topic of hen and 20x more in the presence of him
but this henry! he does a complete 180 its crazy
you don't say
i didn't even know his voice could be this loud
Or that he could be this annoying 😭
🐝👑
😭😭😭😭
imagine
but what even happened between them????
🐝👑
wrdk it has always been like that
june says since day fucking 1
and you dont know??
🐝👑
um no, i didn't attend the first party cuz i had food poisoning
infact i didn't meet alex until atleast 3 big fights
you guys never tried to find out???
🐝👑
pshhhhh when?? the whole time is spent on separating them
you know what? I'm going to find out.
🐝👑
Pez?
i might have a plan
🐝👑
me and june are in!
i must talk to ms nora
🐝👑
👀😏 you do that
shush, you!
-
Nora gets up and slowly walks out of the room while they both are still shouting. That's when she hears the 'psst' 'psst'. She looks towards the sound and finds Pez waving at her to come to him. Nora goes. It's Pez, duh, of course she does.
"Darling, do you, perhaps, want to find out what the actual fuck is wrong with these two?" Pez points towards the hall, conspiratorially.
Nora's grin blooms slowly, taking over her entire face. "Fuck, yes!"
-
When Bea and June come back from wherever they went, Alex and Henry are still in the same place, doing their own thing, but it is very apparent they both are sulking. Most likely in a competition on who leaves the space first, i. e. who surrenders first.
Alex perks up at the sight of his sister but seeing the way June glares at him, he groans and shouts, "Nora!"
"And Pez!" Bea says and comes to smack Henry's head with a stray magazine.
-
When the dishes are washed and wiped after dinner, June brings in the wine and is met with cheers. They all finish the bottle together, then June says, "Can we play something?"
She is again met with cheers, predictably Alex being the most enthusiastic one. Oh, my sweet sweet summer child.
"Any ideas?"
"Cards!" that's Alex.
"Scrabble!" that's Henry.
"Okay, nerd." Alex.
"Pictionary." Henry.
"Boring." Alex.
"Charades." Alex.
"That's the same as pictionary!" gasps Henry.
"But it's not boring." Alex fires a finger gun at him and Henry huffs.
"Never have I ever!" again, Alex.
"We are playing spin the bottle, truth or dare fusion." June rolls her eyes at him.
"When did you decide? We are just getting started!"
"And you both will be here till morning, the adults have decided, so shut the fuck up and come sit in the circle."
"Dictator." Alex grumbles.
"Aww, there there."
It goes like this - Alex, to his right Nora, next to her June. Then Pez, next to him Henry and then Bea finishing up the circle.
"Alex, you go first. The person the bottle points to is your victim, and the person the heel faces gets to spin next. Okay, go!"
Alex takes a swig of his drink and spins the bottle, which stops facing Nora, making both shriek.
"Truth or dare, fellow chaos maker?"
"Dare." Nora winks and Alex whoops.
"Okay, so, the dare for you is, start a twitter discourse. Bonus points if it's stupid but still gets them going." he raises his glass at her. She clicks her glass against his and immediately opens twitter. She types as she speaks, "Cats, bunch of greater than symbols, aaaannnnddd post." she grins as she shows them the flurry of quotes and comments.
"Lame, but it'll do," Alex says and gets a sharp elbow to his bicep.
"Now, Henry."
Henry positions the bottle and twists. It spins and spins and lands on Bea. They both chuckle softly and Henry says, "Truth or dare?"
"Hmm, I'll go with the truth."
"Very well, tell us one thing you haven't shared with anyone."
Bea goes quiet for a moment and others glance at each other in concern. Henry touches her shoulder and says, "Hey if you don't want to share, it is okay, I will change the question."
"Or you can sit on it, and we can move to the next person and you can answer whenever you want." June says as she extends and holds Bea's hands.
"No, it is fine, it is just, I have been thinking about this for so long that it feels a bit weird to share, not that I don't want to share or anything. I want you guys to know." Bea says softly.
"Okay take your time, it's okay. We are not going anywhere." June squeezes her hands and sits back. Both she and Henry share a tight smile.
It is quiet for a few minutes, then Bea says, "I am asexual."
"Oh! That's wonderful!" June exclaims.
"Thank you so much for telling us, Bea," Henry says, his eyes bright with emotions.
June crawls the distance quickly and asks, "Hug?" to which Bea smiles and nods rapidly, her eyes teary.
They hug for like a whole minute but no one interrupts them.
When they break apart, June gently wipes Bea's tears and says, "I love you."
Bea clutches her hands and replies, "I love you, too."
When June crawls back, Alex goes, "That's so cool, Bee, thanks for telling us," and extends a closed fist to her and she bumps it, laughing.
"Uh," Henry clears his throat, "So, since Bea shared something so big, I want to share a secret of mine too." both Bea and Pez immediately grasps his either hands, "I, um, I'm gay."
There is a beat of silence then Pez starts to hoot, followed by everyone. Henry released a breath and felt like a thousand kilos lighter.
Wow. Okay. Okay.
"Oh my! My pookie!" and leaned in and kissed his cheek repeatedly, making Henry sputter out laughing. He still feels shaky.
"Omg, we are the queer siblings!!! Someone should check on Philip!!" Bea says, and all of them burst into laughter again. Henry knocks her shoulder playfully.
"Thank you for telling us, Hen. I love you."
"I love you, too, Bea."
"Official welcome to the alphabet gang." Nora says, raising her glasses at Bea and Henry. And they all raise and cheer.
Alex goes, "Wow, so I am the only straight person in this fruit basket of a group?" which sends them all over again.
June throws a few popcorn at her brother and says, "We really should throw you out just on that basis."
Alex pouts, turns to Bea and says, "Your friend is such a bully."
She pulls him closer with her hands on his neck and says, "She is, isn't she? I'm sorry, love."
Alex sniffs dramatically and goes, "It's okay. I believe I'm atoning for my past sins."
It was June who squawks this time. Bea folds over laughing.
It was June's turn to spin. She leans in, holds it for a moment and then twists the bottle; everyone watches the scene, rapt, as there's something ritualistic about the way she did it. The bottle spins, one round; spins, two rounds; spins, slows, drags, stops lazily, the mouth of the bottle facing Alex. June looks up and grins, triumphant.
Alex, as usual oblivious as fuck, loudly goes before anyone could even ask him, "Dare!"
June smiles fondly, as one does seeing an orange cat doing orange cat activities, and coos, "So predictable."
Alex frowns at her but June continues, smiling sweetly, "I dare you to do exactly what the next person the bottle points does."
Alex looks at her, his eyes wary and suspicious, "I do not like your smile at all! What kind of dare is that?"
"A dare kind of dare, Alex, keep up."
"Uh.. nope, I don't feel good about this."
"Are you scared, Alex? Is that what this is?" Henry goads.
"Fuck you." Alex hisses, his eyes never leaving June and her weird, weird smile. "What are you planning, Juniper?"
"Well, little bit, that's for me to know and you to find out." June blows him a kiss. "Pez, you're next."
"On it, your majesty!" Pez bows and rubs his hands together in glee. He leans in, mutters something and blows over the bottle, then twists it.
"Give it a rest, Pez!" Henry throws popcorn, which Pez catches smoothly and pops it in his mouth.
The bottle spins and spins, oscillates between Bea and Henry but finally chooses Henry.
Christ .
No fucking way!
Alex's eyes immediately catches Henry's and for a moment they both are in the same page and that page has one line - 'what the fuck'.
They look away simultaneously, feeling unsettled.
Henry clears his throat and slowly says, "Pezza."
Pez blinks, his face the embodiment of innocence. "Hazza."
They both hold their gaze for a moment. Pez's smile slowly widens as Henry's eyes narrow into slits. "What have you planned, darling?"
"Pshhh! Plan! Oh ye' of little faith!" but wiggles his eyebrows, "Pick one, babes. Truth or dare?"
Alex shouts, "Dare! Pick dare, you idiot."
Henry turns to him, his lips pursed.
"Dare." Alex says slowly, as if Henry is a bit slow.
Everyone remains eerily calm as Alex goes hysterical. Bea goes a step ahead and starts humming, which doesn't make Henry feel good at all. He bites the corner of his lip, still looking at Alex, like he's a complicated math question, who is now spelling out the dare word. Jesus .
He faces Pez, who is still smiling angelically, and hesitantly says, "Dare."
"Phew!" Alex breathes out in the background.
"Dare? Nice one, Haz. Alexander babes is such a great influence on you!" Pez claps, but Henry's face doesn't change at all. "Okay stop with that face, now! I dare you to," Pez pauses, you know, for the drama, and Henry allows him.
If Pez wants theatrics, it's best you give him the space to do so.
"Dare me to?" Henry implores, playing the part. "Dare you to," another pause, "tell us the truth on why you hate our darling Alexander here!" He ends it with a flourish. June, Bea and Nora cheer.
"And that's your dare too, baby bro."
Henry groans and throws a fist full of popcorn at Alex.
Alex squawks, "Hey, this is cheating!"
"Is it, Alexander babes? We didn't know!" Pez says with an exaggerated horrified expression and ends up getting pelted with popcorns by both Alex and Henry.
-
"I was eight. You were what? Seven?" Henry's lips are set in a moue.
"Yes." Alex grumbles.
"We just got in. Our families weren't even introduced yet and I saw Alex across from the room. I…" Henry stops abruptly, his eyes wide when they dart up to meet Alex’s. His face flushes and his gaze drops to his lap at the same speed.
The room is dead silent. Alex can feel his heartbeat in his ears. The fuck? He can feel that whatever Henry is going to say is going to pull the rug under his feet.
Henry, extremely conscious of the silent room, wrings his fingers.
Oh. That happened, didn't it? Hell. What have I brought upon myself! Dear Earth, this will be a fine time for you to open up and swallow me whole. Just tell them, it's fine. Like ripping off a band-aid. It will be fine. Just that Alex will hold it over your head forever but it's fine. It's fine!!! He mentally rubs his face and groans. Also imagines choking Pez.
He clenches his jaw, takes a deep breath, and tries to speak. He doesn't dare to look up, keeps his focus on the fingers he's wringing the life out of. "And… Alex…" exhale. "Alex was too… " inhale. "Too," exhale.
Alex is sweating and he doesn't even know why .
"I thought," a pause, "Ithoughtalexwaspretty." Henry chokes out.
There is a collective gasp sound. Henry is sure that if he checked in a mirror now, he would look sunburned as fuck.
"Come again?" Nora's eyes are wide.
"No." Henry says with a stone face.
"Hey! You can't do that."
"I can."
"What my hazza here said was,"
"Percy, shut the fuck up."
"He thought our Alexander was pretty."
Even though he gathered what Henry said the first time, Alex's blood still rushes to his ears. He feels dizzy. It seems there is a difference between gathering and actually hearing .
Pretty?
Henry's head snaps up from his lap to straight at him and says, "Yeah. Pretty."
It's Alex's turn to flush, he didn't even realize he said it out loud.
The silence continues. No one interrupts the rather exciting turn of events unfolding. One would even say, history .
Alex blinks, trying to break from Henry's arresting gaze. He tries to remember the day, tries to fit what Henry has just said. The entire say is etched in his mind but Henry, with his stupid comment, has robbed him the ability to think. He still tries.
Golden hair.
Blue suit.
Crazy eyes.
"Is that why you were looking at me like that?" Alex exclaims.
"Like what?" Henry shouts back.
"Like a fucking serial killer! Like you wanted to fight me!" Alex throws his hands out in an exasperated gesture.
"Oh my God, I remember." June murmurs.
"Fight you? Are you serious?"
"Duh! That's why I asked again and again what were you looking at! You made me so fucking angry."
"I remember." June says and completely loses it. The picture is clear as day in her head.
Henry gapes at him, absolutely confuddled. He asks again, "Are you serious?"
"Oh my God!" Nora bursts out laughing in the background.
"Well… he has a reason to think like that, Hen. You can be a bit.. intense.. especially when you were a kid." Bea says, her face half apologetic half extreme amusement.
"It's true, Haz!" Pez says, his tone somber which immediately turns into snickers.
Henry turns sharply at Bea, "You're supposed to be on my side!"
At the same time Alex cries, "See!"
"Okay, well, I was a bit intense," Henry shrugs, "but who picks fights with strangers like that? All the while being that tiny!"
"Hey! Watch it" Alex points his finger at Henry.
"Lmao, that is little bit. He has always been like that. Always itching to fight anything and everything," June says, between her giggles.
"Now! There you go!"
Alex leans over to smack June, which she evades. She continues laughing as she says "I remember this happening. Oh my God, I cannot stop laughing,"
"He kept tugging at my hand and pointing at something saying 'he keeps staring at me' the whole night. I thought he was seeing some ghost and was so scared of him that whole weekend," she falls over laughing and muttering 'oh my God oh my God' again and again.
Alex's jaw drops as everyone bursts out laughing. He stretches towards June and tries to hit her again but June is too busy laughing to actually fight. Nora bodily pulls him back and holds him, cackling at his ear. Alex tries to wriggle out but he can't.
They all calm down a bit. Bea wipes her tears. June clutches her stomach.
"But," Alex starts, "you were rude to me that day. Wouldn't even try to speak to me. And the next time we met you kept smirking at me like a villain. I didn't do anything to you!"
"Honestly, Alex, do you even know yourself?" he tries to sidestep the question, "You're easy to provoke and it's fun." Henry shrugs in a 'what can I do' manner and June high fives him.
Alex struggles in Nora's hold. "You are my sister! Stop siding with him!" His eyes flash to Henry again. "It still doesn't explain why you were mad at the start."
He has object permanence only in arguments, Henry thinks and fights the urge to huff.
"Okay, what happened was," Henry scratches his head sheepishly, "I asked my dad when we finished eating at the party and you were still glaring at me," he pauses, and starts in a childlike voice, "'Papa, what if a person is so pretty, so beautiful but soooo rude?'"
They snicker at their red faces.
"And dad was like," he clears his throat and puts an impressive voice impression of Arthur and goes, "'Rude? Then it doesn't matter at all that they are beautiful. They are simply rude. Being beautiful comes from the heart!" Bea falls on him laughing. Pez is lying on the floor now.
"And that kind of… cemented in me. You were rude and that was it. So I egged on because why should I allow you to be rude to me without my fault? And… it kinda… became this." He rubs the back of his neck, his face set in a grimace.
"You bastard!" Alex cries out. "You gave me gray hairs all these years when it was your fault all along!" Alex yells, thrashing and wriggling in Nora's arms like a worm.
"Hey! June just said that you pick fights with everyone. It wasn't just my fault!"
"It was your serial killer like staring!"
"It was your glaring! You were rude!"
"And pretty." Pez gets up right in time and simpers.
"And soooo beautiful." Bea coos. Alex struggles to keep the scowl on his face.
"Still rude." Henry's lips twitch.
"Still pretty." Alex counters and throws a charming smile at Henry and Henry's heart stutters for a second.
Oh.
Oh.
"Still rude." he recovers quickly, but Alex notices the near stumble and doesn't say anything except for a half-hearted "Pfft."
Everyone except the stupid duo exchange looks. Dismiss! Now!
"Well that was fun. Mission accomplished. Good job everyone!" June says, leaping to her feet.
"Buggg." "Junee." Alex and Henry both exclaim as they realize the betrayal and for the first time Alex doesn't feel the need to fight him because they did grow up together ten years. Wow, they were so stupid.
June and Bea pat their heads like they used to do when they were kids. Pez pinches Henry's cheek, who is too dazed to swat the hand away.
Nora releases Alex and throws a knowing smirk at him and gets up to join the rest, leaving Henry and Alex on the floor.
They both look at each other awkwardly not knowing what to say or do as the whole conversation is running in-repeat in their heads.
An agonizing minute passes. Henry then says, "Um, well, porch! Air! Fresh!" and practically runs from there.
Alex lays on the floor and stares at the ceiling. The fan spins on.
Pretty .
He remembers page 20 of the j14 issue about Arthur. Henry in his cricket gear, the sunshine smile, and the almost forgotten memory of him tracing the hair, wondering if it were soft as it looked; and how he had mourned for something that could have been for one split second and feels something - everything fundamental in him change.
Or more like come exposed.
Pretty. Henry. Beautiful. Soft. Henry. Sunshine. Pretty. Henry. Beautiful.
He sits up slowly and looks around for others. He can hear laughter from the kitchen and thinks thank fuck and sets outside to the porch.
He has no thoughts in his brain or… maybe he has too many but nothing coherent except one - he needs to see Henry now!
-
Henry looks picturesque, leaning with his arms on the railing, the moonlight reflecting on his pale skin. It makes Alex's breath stagger.
Pretty. Soft. beautiful .
Henry turns, sensing him and greets him with a soft, sweet smile that Alex has seen plenty of times but never directed at him and his mind blanks.
"Hey."
"Hey."
Alex moves forward to stand next to him, mirroring him.
"Ten years, huh?" he says, the smile evident in his voice.
Henry huffs a laugh, "Ten whole years! Amazing."
"I know right."
Alex turns to look at Henry's profile. Henry gamely looks straight, allowing Alex the chance to look at him, see him for the first time in years.
Good. The least he could do after everything. Hmpf.
He's so beautiful it makes me so mad.
He can still feel the annoyance Henry's presence brings out in him, but it is slowly getting overpowered by something else. Something loud.
"Still pretty?" Alex asks, the question intended to be a lofty one; a charming one; even a flirty one - just to tease, but it comes out as soft and beseeching; he could feel the truth in the emotion so he doesn't take it back.
Henry's head snaps towards him, Alex holds his gaze steadily.
The moment pauses in between them.
And then Henry straightens up, Alex scrambles back a bit, feeling quite unsure.
Henry turns, leans his hips on the railing, facing Alex straight on, crosses his arms, emphasizing his stupid broad shoulder… wait where the fuck did that come from??? and then the motherfucker checks him out.
Alex follows his eyes as they move from the top of his curls to his eyes, piercing and gulps a little when they rest a bit too long on his lips, which makes Henry's eyes drop to his neck and does a slow and sure sweep all over him.
Alex shifts a little; he cannot understand what he's feeling except that he feels hot. Boiling. Heart is going a mile a minute. No one has ever looked at him like this. No one.
Henry's eyes catch his again and whatever he sees in them makes him smirk a bit. He takes a casual step back and his gaze roves over him again, taking his time now.
Alex feels like he has turned inside out. He cannot do anything. Even breathing. He just stands there for Henry's taking.
Henry's gaze, and he can't believe he's even thinking this, feels sensual.
It starts from his feet, making Alex's toes curl up inside his fluffy sandals, up his thighs, his hips; he even makes a pointed look between his hips.
Bastard .
Henry rolls his tongue in his cheek, suppressing a smile. This is fun . Who knew?
His gaze moves up to Alex's hand to his arms, Jesus Christ , to his neck again. Then his fucking chin dimples to those bloody full lips.
Alex lips part softly at the attention and Henry lips mirror them, drawing Alex's focus on them.
Soft. Pretty. Beautiful.
When he looks up Henry is already watching him. Alex feels caught but he doesn't feel a lick of embarrassment.
If he can look, so can he!
Henry's eyes are full of mischief. He holds his gaze for a moment and then inclines to Alex's ear level, his evening stubble brushing on Alex's cheek, tantalizing in a very unfamiliar way, but not an unwelcome one. His hot breath makes Alex shiver in the cold night out. And whispers, "Still pretty."
Alex's breath hitches, a gasp tears out from him, unbounded.
They both stand still, completely taken aback; by both their reactions. Alex's hands fist, the only thing grounding him from swaying; he doesn't know whether he'd sway away or into Henry and he doesn't want to find out.
Henry hovers there for a moment, like the moment suspended between them. He takes a deep breath, drawing in the wonderful smell of pomade and laundry detergent and Alex.
This boy…
He leans back, drags his stubble on Alex's cheek, indulgently and feels the way the breath ribbon out of Alex.
What the fuck was that, was the only thought in Alex's mind. He looks up and sees Henry looking at him like he doesn't know what happened too and doesn't know what to do next. Join the club.
He then gives Alex a soft, shy smile and goes inside, leaving Alex to his turmoil. All earthquakes and hurricanes.
He feels like his brain is a fucking spintop going wheeeeee.
That night they both lay awake.
For Henry, it was the unraveling of everything he has been suppressing unknowingly all these years, it all comes bursting from wherever they were hidden.
Pretty .
He doesn't know why he never actually pondered over how it all started until today. He doesn't know why it suddenly clicked today. He doesn't know why he never thought about it.
But he remembers Alex.
Vividly.
From all those years.
Soft round cheeks. Mop of curly hair. Gangly limbs during his short lived height sprout. Long curls falling over his face. Top knots. Tiny waist in that offensive crop top in that one instagram post. His earrings. Those fucking rings on his fingers. Those wide knuckles. His thighs in those criminal beach shorts. His arse. His arse . His pretty, pretty glittering eyes that show every emotion but always so beautiful in anger and laughter - he wonders if that's the reason he always poked him, to see them flashing at him.
The sinful mouth, so full and pink and soft and biteable.
The brown skin of his, like fucking gold, begging to be worshipped.
That arse!
Henry sighs and screams into his pillow.
Bloody hell. I'm in so much trouble. Why Alex? Out of all people?
But a part of him realizes it has always been and will be Alex.
For Alex, it's all new information. Bombarding him from every direction and making him question everything.
I was straight this afternoon?
But it kind of makes sense that his adhd ass would procrastinate this too.
He rewinds the evening - the confession to Henry's stubble on his skin. He can still feel it, his cheek still aflame, like he has been branded.
He wonders how that would feel all over his skin. Over his lips and chin. On his neck. Between his thighs .
He wonders how it would feel to rub his stubble all over Henry.
And he wonders if his hair is as soft as it looks.
He feels like he is too tight for his skin. He wants to jump out of it. He has felt attraction before, has felt arousal, but this feels… beyond everything. This feels like he, as a human, should not be even able to comprehend this.
He remembers Henry throughout the years. He has always been this pretty boy. Half aristocrat, half movie star. He cannot say he hasn't noticed, he has eyes, thank you very much , but he was his arch nemesis first and foremost. He was a nuisance, the bane of his existence. But that feeling of annoyance has taken the backseat. Something else is loud and insistent.
Slut, a voice in him whispers and…
Yeah. He gets it.
He gets his school girls. Those stans of his, making fan pages and dedicating their time to the movement of his left eyebrow. He gets everyone tripping over air to get a chance to look at him.
He gets it!
But…
But…
He is never going to live this down. No one is going to allow him to forget all the tantrums he threw, all those petty things he did.
Whyyyy?? Of all people does it have to be him??? Did I have to do all this for all these years and just to what? Lust after him???? Become not straight FOR HIM???? Like him???
He scoffs.
But a tiny voice in him says, if not Henry, then who?
Well… who indeed.
He spends the whole night tossing and turning and gets up when the sun starts to rise. He is so thankful Nora went to sleep with the girls, he does not want to deal with her data or stats.
A run might help , he thinks. He puts on his shoes and goes out, but he sees the serene, orange water and feels the pull.
"Yeah, yeah, don't need to twist my arm now," he mutters to the lake and slips out of his running gear and pads to the pier, and stops still at the ledge.
Henry is there. In the water. Shoulders bare and hair wet. Looking at him.
Shit. Well… in for a penny…
He chucks his shirt away and jumps in.
"Hey."
"Hey."
It seems like Alex jumping in has kind of answered the unasked question between them. They, as a pair, never did anything by halves, so why not this too?
In for a pound.
Their eyes move over each other, greedily drinking up the naked skin on display. Their eyes meet every now and then but they slip lower.
Alex's mind blares skin. skin. skin. skin.
Henry bravely raises his hand, Alex can see it shaking, and traces the drop of water over Alex's collarbone with his fingertip. It makes them gasp.
"Fucking hell."
"Gods above."
Alex's breath is ragged, his neurons firing, but he holds his ground and looks up at Henry's eyes and asks one more time. A confirmation? He doesn't know, just that he has to ask.
"Still pretty?"
A slow smile blooms over Henry's face. "You are so fucking gorgeous!"
And yeah.
Alex jumps.
There's no thought in his brain except kiss! kiss! kiss!
So he obliges.
Henry impressively holds on, which melts Alex's brain further, and positively changes Alex's entire worldview.
Henry pulls back all too soon.
"Come back," Alex pouts.
Henry grins and rubs his nose against Alex's, "Mhmm.. have you had breakfast yet?"
Alex brows furrow, "No, I haven't? I just got up and came here. Why?"
"I was wondering if I was allowed to talk, that's all. Peppa pig voice, remember?" Henry rolls his tongue in his cheek.
Alex groans, "You're the worst," and yanks Henry's face in with the fistful of hair - soft, soft, soft - in his grasp.
Their lips were stretched wide in grins to properly kiss but that is okay.
xx