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Alex stretched out on the blanket that Henry had put down on the still sunwarm sand, while the sun was slowly setting at the horizon.
"This is nice," Alex said with a contented smile.
Henry let out a low laugh where he sat beside Alex on the blanket, basket right next to him and Alex wasn't really surprised when his best friend pulled a wine bottle from the basket
"We need to relax after the last few weeks," Henry said on a sigh. "Fuck finals."
Alex could only agree, they had both spent too many hours bent over books and notepads and Alex was quite sure his brain couldn't retain any new information. At least Henry had enough brain power to not only bring wine, but also plastic wine glasses and a few small boxes of cold cuts, cheese and fruits.
"What would I do without you?" Alex asked before popping a strawberry into his mouth.
With the warm rays of the sun turning everything golden and pink, it was hard to tell, but Alex thought he could see a flush creeping up Henry's cheeks before his friend looked away to focus on picking out a piece of cheese.
They had walked far enough from the main beach that the dunes hid them from other people and all Alex could hear was the waves and the low murmur of their conversation as they slowly ate their picnic. The warm colors of sunset had changed into deep blue, edging into black in the corners and they had both fallen silent, laying on their back and staring up at the few stairs that fought against the light pollution of the nearby city.
Alex felt more relaxed than he had in weeks, maybe even since the start of the semester and he was just about to say so when a dark shadow appeared above them on the dune.
"Oh shit," was all Alex heard and he and Henry sat up quickly as the shadow turned into a person that basically came stumbling down the side of the dune and narrowly avoided crashing into them in the setting darkness.
"Uhm, hello?" Henry said and Alex could hear the confused question in his friend's voice.
"Oh shit," the newcomer repeated. "I'm so sorry, I was in my own little world and didn't see where I was going. I'm so sorry. Well, I mean, it's dark so it was hard to-"
"It's alright," Henry interrupted the stream of excuses.
Still sitting on their blanket, Alex looked up at the newcomer, a woman with flowy skirts who walked barefoot in the sand, shoes held in one hand and Alex tried to smile as reassuringly as he could.
"No harm done," Alex agreed even as he made sure that what was left of the wine was secure in the little hollow they had made in the sand. Luckily the bottle was still standing and the cork was firmly pushed into the opening.
"Oh, that's good. I really didn't mean to interrupt your date, I really am sorry."
Alex let out a sound that he would forever refuse to admit was a squeak.
"Oh no, this isn't a date," he protested quickly. "I mean, thank you for not assuming straightness and all, but we're just friends. Best friends!"
Beside him, Henry groaned and hid his face in his hands and Alex bit down on his lower lip to stop his rambling.
The woman looked back and forth between them, then Alex could see her gaze travel from the wine bottle to the remnants of their picnic and then she let out a deep sigh and turned to Henry.
"What's your name?"
Henry looked up at her but didn't spare Alex a glance.
"Henry. Henry Fox."
"Henry, sweetie. I am so very sorry this dumbass is too dumb to realize he's on a date with you."
"What?" Alex squeaked, no denying it that time. "What do you mean? What does she mean?!"
The woman and Henry shared a look that spoke of dumbassery and Alex tried to see it from their point of view. Took in the wine and the soft blanket, the perfect picnic spread that Henry had brought.
To their picnic.
On the beach.
At sunset.
"Is this a date?" Alex asked, staring wide eyed at his best friend.
"I mean, yeah?" Henry mumbled before he pulled in a deep breath and met Alex's gaze. "I kinda hoped it was."
"Right, good luck with this one," she told Henry. "You clearly gonna need it."
With that she walked away, sliding slightly in the sand before she left the two of them alone in their little hiding spot in the dunes. Alex thought he should feel slightly offended by her parting words, but all he could do was stare at Henry who was nervously twisting the signet ring he always wore.
"You wanna date me?" Alex asked and suddenly there was nothing else he wanted more in the world.
He could see a new future stretch out in front of them, one with picnics and long walks on the beach. With shared fruit platters and kisses that taste like wine.
"Alex, of course I wanna date you…"
Alex might be a dumbass, but he wasn't stupid enough to not lean in to kiss Henry then and as the last vestiges of the day turned into night, the two of them fell down on the blanket. They traded slow kisses, the wine and surrounding world all but forgotten.