Archive of Our Own

Henry is on the loose. He doesn’t get moments like these – alone and unoccupied – so he enjoys every second of it. Over the past years he’s learned a trick or two how to get alone, how to sneak off from the army of bodyguards. This is one of them, and he doesn’t plan on getting caught at least for a good hour.

David pulls on the leash as he sprints through the hotel corridor. They could very well be onto him and watch his every step on the security footage, but he doesn’t care. If he only gets this short walk with David today, he’ll take it.

“David, come here, boy!” Henry shouts after him. Henry lets him run through the corridors, because he hates the thought of David spending most of his days inside a hotel room. David barks softly as he runs to the other corridor. “David, boy, here!” Henry adds, and he hears distant running of paws. David runs from the corner, dragging something on his mouth.

“Drop it,” Henry commands, but David keeps what seems to be a towel on his mouth. Maybe he ravaged a housekeeping cart on the other corridor. Henry kneels down, but ends up having a fight with him to get the towel. Henry easily gives in, letting him have his towel that David so desperately wants to keep. Henry gives him a scratch behind the ears and smiles.

“Come along, then,” he says, David hopping excitedly next to him.

He presses the lift button while glancing over his shoulder. The corridor is empty, which is a surprise. Usually it’s crowded with guards, makeup artists and.. more guards. They must really be interested in what his grandfather has to say.

Then again, the King of England is more important than Henry.

And on days like these, he’ll take advantage of it.

The lift dings, doors opening. David bolts inside. Henry hears distant steps when he walks inside, but doesn’t put much thought into them. He’s about to press the ground floor button, when a voice shouts through the corridor.

“Hold the door!” It’s a strong, masculine voice. He doesn’t recognize it being one of his men, so he stretches his hand between the metal doors. 

Someone is panting, a shadow by the door. Henry keeps the lift door open, glimpsing a peek of dark curly hair, when a man dashes inside.

“Going down?” Henry asks routinely, staring at the line of yellow buttons, ready to press.

“We’ve only just met,” the man says, voice insinuating and silky. Only then Henry turns around, to see an utterly gorgeous specimen of a man in front of him. Completely naked with drips of water on him.

That explains why David had a towel in his mouth.

Henry takes a closer look at the man. His dark curls are wet, curling around the nape of his neck. His brown, shimmering skin is moist. There’s droplets of water on the slopes of his shoulders, trailing down between his pecs. He has a flawless line of washboard abs worth days of staring, thick hairy thighs flexing, but his eyes land on a dark happy trail starting from his abdomen, and his big hands that are hiding the obvious.

His hands are surprisingly large to be able to hide his crotch, not that Henry pays much attention to it. Or to the small patch of dark hairs sneaking between his fingers.

Henry looks up. His face gets flushed upon the sight, his cheeks burning. Maybe Henry should take off his coat to cover his undeniably large –

“Ahem,” the man clears his throat, awkwardly finding Henry’s eyes. “You mind if your dog gave me my towel back?”

“Oh,” Henry gasps, cheeks still burning, looking at David. David who’s innocently laying on the floor with the towel still on his mouth, like he didn’t do anything wrong. “David, give me the towel.”

“David? What kind of name is that for a dog?” the man asks, confused, arching an eyebrow. Henry kneels to David’s level, eyes having a hard time focusing on his dog when Henry could just easily lift his gaze and see everything the man is trying to hide.

“After Bowie,” Henry answers, frankly. He takes a grip of the towel. “Now, come on.” He tugs the towel, David letting out a playful growl. He thinks it’s a game. “No time to play, David. Give me the towel.” It’s no use, because once David thinks it’s a game, there’s no hope.

Henry briefly looks up, which is a mistake: The gorgeous man has turned to the side to study the lift buttons and Henry’s eyes catch the side figure of his buttocks. Perky, round, curly hair at the bottom of his cheeks, an ass that’s too perfect to be such in close distance from him not to touch.

The man casts a look over, like he’s sensing Henry’s stare. Henry looks back at David, tugging the towel again. “Give the towel and daddy will give you a treat,” he tries, voice desperate. David’s floppy ears perk up from the word treat, releasing his hold of the towel simultaneously as Henry yanks it. It causes him to land on his backside on the soft red-carpeted floor. There’s a hard impact on the back of Henry's head, realizing he hit his head on something.

“You allright?” comes a sudden voice, filled with concern.

“Splendid,” Henry laughs it off, voice weak. He opens his eyes to see the beautiful man kneeling in front of him. Deep, brown eyes. Wet lashes and lips slightly parted. If Henry looked even a bit downwards, he could probably see his –

“You’re British.”

“What gave that away?” Henry chuckles, painfully. He rubs the back of his head, but it doesn’t feel like anything serious. There comes a low chuckle, and the man takes the towel from Henry. He should look away, but he doesn’t. He watches how he opens the towel in front of him, that has David’s teethmarks and drool on it, and wraps it around his waist.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Henry assures, David coming onto his lap. The man gives a faint smile, god those dimples, and drops his hands on his waist.

“Why isn’t the elevator moving?” the man asks impatiently, pointing at the floor number above the lift’s door. It’s stuck on 3 – the floor Henry was in before the man dashed inside. He presses the ground floor button aggressively.

“The fuck?” the man swears, and his low octave voice saying profanities definitely doesn't do things for Henry.

“Try the button again.”

“I just fucking did,” the man snaps, pushing the button. He aggressively puts his fist on it, but there doesn’t come any light.

“Perhaps the emergency button?”

The man presses on the emergency button under the normal buttons, but nothing happens. There only comes small feedback, a voice cracking.

“Hello? Can anybody hear me?” he says to the intercom, while aggressively pressing the emergency button. “We’re stuck here!”

“I don’t think that’s working.”

“You don’t say,” he grunts, annoyed. He presses the button once more, when the lights in the lift flicker and there’s a flash of electricity. The man flinches back, the towel sliding off. It slides down, revealing half of his perky and round ass again. He quickly – too quickly for Henry’s sake – pulls the towel up, trying to tie it around his waist again.

“You OK?”

“Yeah. I think if I pressed any longer, I could have gotten a shock,” the man answers. “How about you? How’s your head?”

“Never had any complaints,” Henry’s surprised how easily the line rolls off his tongue. It earns a seductive grin off the man – it doesn’t do good for Henry’s thumping heart and hot groin. He takes a step, half kneeling in front of him. He raises his hand, with two fingers.

“How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Two.”

“What’s the colour of my eyes?”

“Brown,” Henry says, feeling colour rise in his cheeks from his intense stare.

“And who am I?”

What an odd question to ask. Did he really think Henry had a concussion? “What?”

“Hm,” the man wonders, standing up. “Might be serious.”

“I’m fine,” Henry assures. He tries to focus on his face: the long eyelashes, the dimples, the spark in his eyes. He does look rather familiar, like he’s seen him somewhere. Maybe he’s a model? Then again, this hotel was currently crawling with good-looking people. Maybe their paths crossed these past days, but for Henry’s sake, he can’t remember much of them. He’s certain he would remember meeting someone like him though.

“Trying to figure out where you know me?”

“No.”

“You should consider yourself lucky,” he says, taking a scan of the floor before slowly sitting down. He adjusts the towel around his waist. He stretches out his legs, bumping against Henry’s knees in the small space. “A lot of people would kill to be in your position right now.”

“Is that so?” So this man was a cocky one. Henry should have guessed.

“I know who you are,” he says, looking up to the ceiling for a possible way out. “Prince Henry.” His eyes land back to Henry’s level. They’re curious. Waiting for a response from him.

Fortunately for him, Henry is used to being recognized. He’s used to people calling after him, taking photos, invading his privacy every way possible. Yet, there’s understanding behind that curiosity, but it can’t be.. the man tucks a fallen hair behind his ear while giving him a captivating and attractive smile.

He’s seen that move before. Days ago. No, last night. In the after party of the convention. Henry remembers the dimly lit room, and a man in a bright red suit that flattered his slim figure. 

Henry remembers being captivated the way he danced, crowded with tall women. He remembers sharing a tantalizing gaze or two with him before he was pulled to a corner by one of the women. Henry remembers the prickle of jealousy striking him. He resists his smile, wondering what the girls might be thinking if they knew about this current situation.

“You’re the president’s son,” Henry says. It doesn’t get a big reaction out of him: a simple shrug of shoulders. “Alex Claremont-Diaz.”

“In the flesh.” His leg bumps to Henry’s hip. “Didn’t leave such a good impression, did I, then?”

“Cocky, are you?”

“Takes one to know one,” he snaps back. God, he’s getting on Henry’s nerves. Why did he have to get stuck in a lift with Alex of all people? Sure, it helped that Henry could stare into those flawless abs of his, and pray something would drop his towel again so he’d at least get something good out of this situation.

“At least I’m not that shallow to need attention from women to feel validated,” Henry snarls back. Alex’s annoyed smile drops. Oh, he touched a nerve there. He crosses his arms, pouting.

Henry pets David’s ears for a good minute, when he suddenly stands up. David sniffs at his foot.

“Your dog should be kept on a harness,” he notes, but scratches behind David’s ears with a smile. David is a sucker for attention, so he softly barks and jumps closer to Alex.

“David is perfectly trained. I just took it off from him for a second. He hates these conventions.”

“He isn’t the only one,” Alex answers, absently, with a fraction of vulnerability in his voice. Alex quickly recovers by clearing his throat. “What’s taking them so long, anyway? Can’t they see us?” Alex raises his arm, to the corner where’s a camera with red, blinking light. He waves wildly at it, like a child.

“I don’t think they would just leave us here, unattended and without help,” Henry notes. “Maybe the lift is seriously broken so it takes them longer to fix it.”

“Shouldn't they have these things regularly checked?”

"Certainly.”

“You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?” Alex shoots, with an aggressive glare. Something clicks in his face, a realization. “You got a phone?”

“Ah, yes. My phone. Why on Earth did that thought not occur to me before,” he comments with heavy sarcasm.

“Just throwing ideas here. No need to be such an ass about it.” He looks down at David, who rests his head on Henry’s knee. There's a challenge in his eyes. “Who doesn’t have his phone with him, anyway?”

“Not allowed.”

“You’re not allowed to have a phone with you?”

“Lost my phone privileges. After, um..” Henry trails off. There’s no need to explain himself to this annoying prick.

“Isn’t it dangerous, without a phone or your security team? Thought you royals were, like, important,” he rolls his eyes with a wave of his hands, mocking the royal wave.

“As compared to you, who is the most important member of the US constitution,” Henry flares back.

“Can’t wait to get out of here,” Alex says, grumpily, banging his hand against the lift’s wall. “Out of your sight.”

“They do track me, you know,” Henry says. It earns a curious glance. He shakes his wrist, and his watch. “They know exactly where I am.”

The next look in Alex’s brown eyes is almost.. sad. He keeps petting David, who purrs pleasedly. Henry looks up at the blinking camera, wondering about the chaos and mess that’s outside the walls.

“I wanted some privacy, but I never thought it would mean getting stuck in an elevator,” Alex says, breaking the silence. “with my arch enemy of all people.”

“People don’t have arch enemies.”

“Maybe not in your perfect world.”

Henry decides to change the ever-continuing bickering to something else. They could very well be stuck in this small space for hours, or more, and he doesn’t want to waste energy fighting. No matter how much he enjoys seeing Alex’s face twist with frustration. “You should know there’s no chance for privacy in our line of lives.”

“I didn’t choose to have a president for a mother,” Alex says, the serious sentence catching Henry off guard.

“And I didn’t choose to be born into royalty.” His eyes meet Alex’s. “Sometimes we just can’t help the families and responsibility we’re born into.”

Alex doesn’t say anything, just leans back. “I’m not a fan of it, just so you know.”

“Fan of what?”

“The attention. The women.”

Now that is a shock and it earns a sincere laugh from Henry. “Glad you’re enjoying my suffering.”

“No, sorry. I didn’t mean – it’s just very surprising to hear that,” he says. “From all the photos I’ve seen.. you look very happy.”

“You should know how easy it is to fake a smile for a photo,” Alex says, avoiding Henry’s eyes. He remembers seeing a photo or a glimpse of an interview during his mother’s election, but Alex always looked so energetic and happy. Not this sulky and pouty of a man in front of him. “I mean, doesn’t your entire life consist of looking perfect in photos?”

Oh, so this is getting personal. Henry isn’t offended by his words, it’s not an insult. Alex could have easily said those in mockery, but his voice is empathetic, interested. 

“You’ll get used to it,” Henry answers, distantly. “The attention and all that comes within.”

“And the girls?”

Henry looks into his eyes. There’s something the way he said girls like it’s an unknown territory to him, voice unsure and nervous. The attention from girls. Which does surprise Henry, remembering how acquainted he was with them last night.

Maybe Alex isn’t at all what Henry assumed.

“I mean,” Alex rolls out his tongue, legs moving dangerously close to Henry’s hip. “You’re always pictured with a girl. Dating as a prince must be so easy.”

“So you would think,” Henry answers. Alex’s words aren’t invading as it would be from anyone else’s mouth. They’re not a threat or making fun of him. His eyes lock into Henry’s: pure with interest. “But the people I date don’t interest me and the people that interest me, I can’t date.”

“Huh,” Alex nods. Alex’s heel kicks Henry’s waist. “Who are the people you want to date, then?”

Alex knows exactly what he’s asking. His eyes insinuating, dropping down before coming back to meet Henry’s eyes. Maybe he saw the way Henry looked at him when Alex rushed to the lift.

Maybe Alex has better gaydar than Henry first thought.

Henry looks up to the ceiling. The camera in the corner still has a blinking red light. There’s a good chance it’s recording everything they’re doing and there’s dozens of people watching them.

“It doesn’t have a sound,” Alex says, catching Henry’s stare. “So I think we’re safe to talk about pretty much anything.”

“And you know that how?”

“Looks like the cameras my mom has in her office. Couple weeks back I poured my guts out to my best friend, basically coming out to her. After I got a panic attack thinking anyone could check the footage and out me to the world if they wanted. Nora then hacked the camera footage and sent it to me. No sound. Just the recording.”

Henry is at loss of words. Alex could be right, or he could very easily be wrong – and just came out to him and possibly the world. He looks confident enough that he is right about the cameras.

This is a high-class five star hotel, after all, so he is most likely right. 

Alex’s leg presses against his hip, trying to get him to talk. Henry takes David into his lap, who’s halfway to passing out.

“It’s not easy,” Henry says, getting a curious gaze from Alex. “To live up to your family or country’s expectations.”

“Do you sometimes feel that you’re being pulled in so many directions that you’re just going to break?”

Henry gulps. How was it that this man, who he barely met, could feel exactly the same way Henry did? “Yes, a lot in fact,” he admits.

“I love my mom, but I don’t think she gets it.”

“Yes, well,” Henry says. “Imagine having to go through that for the entirety of your life.”

Alex’s face falls. “Damn. I never –” he stops. “I never thought it like that. That sucks, dude.”

“Most people don’t. They just see a flawless picture of me and think they know me. They think the life of a royal is so easy, when it’s the opposite. It’s like your whole life is planned for you, and every step or choice you make, isn’t your choice at all. Everything is planned in perfect detail for you to follow. And when you try to do something different, or don’t want to be in that glass box they put you in, they realize it and push you back in. Because you have to maintain that perfect royal image that was formed by white, cis straight men hundreds of years ago.”

Henry doesn’t dare to look into his eyes. He didn’t plan on saying all of that to him, but for some odd reason, talking to Alex is easy. Too easy it nearly scares him. He pulls David closer to him like a weightened safety blanket, who just lazily growls in return. He scratches his ears and stays there, hoping that he didn’t completely ruin this.

But.. it feels kind of relieving to say those words out loud. He hasn’t exactly talked to anyone about this, maybe to Bea at most, but it’s not the same. Bea does know what it’s like to live through the crown’s expectations and there’s always a different weight on her since she’s a woman, but maybe Henry just needed to pour this out of him. The way he feels captured, lived in a glass cage for his whole life, only to be stared and pointed at. Far enough to be out of people’s reach, but not far enough to save himself from the critique and judgement.

The words seem to hang in the air for an eternity, and Henry can’t find any willpower to look up.

“I’m sorry,” Alex’s soft words break the silence. Henry slowly lifts his eyes, seeing Alex’s apologetic and earnest eyes. This is a first. First of many. “I can’t imagine what your life is like, but I’m sorry you feel like that. No one should feel that way.”

“Thank you,” is all Henry can stammer out.

The way Alex stares at him, sincere and warm, makes Henry want to tell everything there is in his heart. He has never felt like he could open up this way, to a person who not long ago called Henry his arch enemy.

Maybe they’re more similar than either one of them thought.

Henry needs to lighten up the mood. As much as he wants to continue this serious conversation, they could be rescued any minute now, and the least he wants is them to be interrupted in an awkward discussion for all of his security to hear.

Henry clears his throat. “I have a question.”

“Shoot.”

“I know how I sneaked off from my security team, but how did you manage to only wear a towel and what I’m assuming, get locked out your hotel room?”

His lips quirk. “Funny story actually, and if I’m going to tell you, you need to promise it stays between us.”

“We’re stuck in a lift together, and I’m absolutely dying for any type of entertainment. So yes, I promise not to tell a soul.”

Alex smirks up. Those dimples aren’t doing any good for his already thumping of a heart.

“So, first of all, it wasn’t my fault. It was your dog’s.”

“Hey. He has a name.”

“I know. Sorry. Anyway, it was David’s fault, really,” Alex says. Henry gives him a look of disapproval, but Alex continues. “Also I’m finding it weird that we have rooms on the same floor since I was told it was completely reserved for my mom, but okay, fair enough. I came from the gym and went to take a shower in my room. I came out of the shower, and I heard some barking. Which I thought to myself, was weird. So I opened my door, seeing a dog running around. I thought he might have gotten loose or something, and I was going to close the door when it – David – snapped my towel. He grabbed it and pulled it like a fucking –” Henry frowns again, in disapproval. Alex coughs up. “Anyhow, he got my towel and when I tried to grab it, I realized I locked myself out of my room. Then I ran for the elevator and met you, and you know the rest. “

“David isn’t the type to do that, you know.”

“That’s your response? He ripped the towel off me!”

“Whatever the reason may be, David isn’t violent. Maybe he just thought it was a game.”

“Ugh,” Alex rolls his eyes. “Of course you’re gonna take his side.”

“I know David can get a bit frustrated on these trips, but it’s not his fault.”

“So you agree that it’s partly your fault because you bring him to these events and keep him locked in a hotel room?”

Henry gives a frustrated little growl. “You’re really annoying, you know that?”

“Thanks, but no need to be such a dick about it.”

And there it is. They’re back at the bickering again, which doesn’t surprise Henry. He thinks of an insult or mocking joke when Alex suddenly gets up to his knees.

“What now?”

“Did you hear that?”

“You think someone’s coming?” Henry says hopefully. He tries to listen but can’t hear anything. Alex leans closer to the lift walls. Henry stands up, placing sleepy David on the floor. Alex points at the doors, that are not moving an inch.

“Did you really h-”

“Shh,” Alex hushes him, hand waving on Henry’s face. He’s getting on his nerves again, and Henry grabs his wrist when there’s a shake. The entire lift shakes tremendously, there’s lights flickering and next thing Henry knows, he’s falling to the ground.

Henry pushes David to the corner as he falls on his back, only to be collapsed upon something heavier and bit softer. He feels the hard impact of Alex slamming onto him, and the painful grunt Alex makes.

“You okay?” Henry asks with a weak voice.

“Abso-fucking-lutely,” Alex growls, his voice close, his warm breath on Henry’s face. He feels Alex's body weight on him, between his legs to be precise, and how he tries to move himself on Henry.

He should be thinking about how to shove Alex off, or take David into his arms, about whether they’re probably getting rescued any second now. But all he can focus on is Alex on top of him, his curls that are tickling Henry’s jaw and his hair that smells like very exquisite and expensive shampoo. And how there’s something long and thick pressed against his left thigh.

The lights flicker once more, and their sexual tension that stretched between them crackles upon seeing Alex’s face. The gorgeous face that’s only inches away from him. Alex’s hungry eyes drop to Henry’s lips, and it’s the last thing he sees before the lights go out again. 

Alex’s hand finds his face, sliding around his neck. Maybe Alex is checking if he’s hurt. In return, Henry cups Alex’s face. Henry’s heart is beating out of his chest, like it’s going to burst out beneath his ribs any possible moment. Alex must feel how loud his heart is beating.

Alex nuzzles his forehead against Henry. His fingers play around Henry’s hair. The movements are slow, searching, asking for permission. His skin is tingling every time there’s a soft touch, sending a shock of electricity through him. Henry breathes the same hot air with him, lowering his head to his level, his lips brushing against Alex’s. Alex grabs his head steadier, then, letting out a soft growl before he presses their lips together.

It’s new.

It’s intoxicating.

It’s definitely not what Henry thought, especially when it came to imagining kissing Alex. At first it’s shy, experimental, Alex evidently giving Henry the time to pull away. As if Henry had any willpower for that. 

A hand drops to Alex’s waist, that’s completely bare, helping him for a better position. It shifts the kiss and Alex. It’s like a sign, permitting him to put everything into this kiss, and oh, Alex does. 

He clutches tighter around Henry, kissing his upper lip, biting. Henry is kissing him back with force and hunger. Hunger Henry didn't know he had inside him, never imagining he would be making-out with his arch enemy on the bloody floor. Yet, he doesn't want to do anything else.

Alex settles better between his legs, there’s explicit grinding and hard thrusting so Henry can’t contain his whimpers. Alex’s mouth drifts to his neck and to his earlobe, and Alex’s hands slide inside his trousers, toying with the elastic band of his boxers.

Henry is ascending somewhere up to the clouds with Alex’s grabby hand. 

David is barking in the distance, but it’s somewhere faraway. He closes his eyes when Alex’s amazing mouth finds him again, hot and firm. His brain short-circuits when Alex’s hand in his trousers abruptly disappears, along with his eager mouth. There’s a noise that sounds a lot like a desperate whine, when Alex’s warmth disappears too.

Henry can’t see anything in the pitch black darkness, only knowing that Alex and his lips are gone.

And oh, how he misses Alex already.

“Alex?”

The reason Alex pulled away gets solved when there’s a rustling sound. Few distinct calls of people. There's a metallic sound, and then a loud drill. The lights flicker, and David lets out a scary howl. “David, come here. It’s okay,” Henry comforts. He can’t see anything but feels David’s nose against his leg. He lifts him up to his arms, cuddling him against his chest.

“They found us,” Alex’s emotionless voice says, sounding slightly disappointed. His voice is near, like he’s standing right next to Henry. Henry thinks of all the words to say to him, but nothing comes up. He moves his hand up to reach for Alex, touching his shoulder but Alex flinches, so Henry pulls his hand back.

“Sir?” comes a distant voice behind the metal doors. “... Highness? Can you –” the voice becomes clearer by the second, the rustling of a drill disappearing. “ –hear me, sir?”

The pure and utter disappointment hits Henry at once when the doors creak open. There’s at least twenty people staring, worried hotel staff members and a few maintenance workers and one who looks to be a fire fighter – and at least half of them with flashlights directly on them. They all share the same trait: shocked and eyes wide open.

Henry turns to Alex, and the look on his face is unreadable.

“Your Royal Highness,” one of his guard’s concerned voice says. “Are you all right, Prince Henry?”

“Take my hand, Your Highness,” another guard says, offering his hand. Henry tries to keep his gaze on Alex, who avoids his eyes. He looks disappointed and sad. Before Henry can think what to say to him, someone grabs his sleeve and literally pulls him out the lift. Another set of hands take David, other hands carefully clean Henry’s shirt and offer him a water bottle and a blanket.

“We were so worried, Your Highness,” a worried voice says but Henry doesn’t respond. He looks back at Alex, who’s surrounded by two people who look like security guards. One of them puts a blanket around him, but he looks.. in deep thought.

There’s concerned voices whispering around Henry that start to annoy him. He tries to call for Alex, but no voice comes out of him.

Henry just… stares.

Alex casts a glance over his shoulder, giving him a faint smile, before Henry is buried with people and pulled away from Alex.  

Henry is pacing a circle around his penthouse suite, to the point he’s irritated and sexually frustrated. What happened in the lift with Alex is fresh on his mind, no matter how many people talked with him in the past hours. It wasn’t until the travelling royal doctor approved Henry’s excellent health that he got time alone by saying he was tired of the whole ordeal.

He would gather his strength for his silly speech.

Henry knows there’s an easy solution to this, there's an almost routine kind of way he does it when he’s alone in his hotel room – most of the time. But he can’t stop thinking about those soulful brown eyes and those soft lips on him, Alex between his legs, and the way he looked after the kiss.

Over the hours, Henry cannot stop thinking about Alex.

And what would have happened if they weren’t rescued.

Henry considers his options. There is the easy solution of finding videos of Alex online, maybe even a shirtless one. That would do the trick.

There’s another solution of finding Alex, since he’s obviously staying on the same floor. But the idea of going to knock at his door feels too exposing and desperate.

It’s going to be awkward enough, because there's a big chance he’ll see Alex when he gives his speech in two hours.

So Henry just goes to take a bath to cool himself down. He tries to calm the burning in his loins that can only be quenched by Alex. He actually managed to have a normal bath, as normal as it can be, because Shaan and his minions burst into his suite twenty minutes in. Henry was glad they didn’t interrupt him with anything awkward.

Wouldn’t be the first time.

They get him dressed, pampered into perfection to make a public speech. He’s done this countless times, too many times to remember. He has memorized the speech so he knows it by heart.

It’s nothing out of the ordinary. The guarded walk backstage, microphone tests, the stylist checking Henry’s outfit. He doesn’t get nervous, not until he sees a TV. Small TV screen with Alex’s face on it.

He’s giving his speech. He’s talking about his mom, the importance of the elections. He seems so confident and totally in his element on stage, in front of thousands of people. It’s weird to see him like this. Thinking he was stuck in a lift only in a towel just hours ago. But Alex really sounds like he cares for the topics he’s talking about. The audience cheers for him. There’s a few staff members who join the soft applause.

Henry wonders how many times Alex practiced that speech.

Or maybe he's totally winging it.

Henry can’t tell.

The stylists and Shaan do the final check, and once they give the approval sign, it’s his turn. He knows his speech isn’t as great as Alex’s, or as passionate, but at least people smile at him. At least there’s applause and he even spots a girl in Great Britain coloured clothing, a Union Jack hat and a shirt that says ‘Marry me Prince Henry’ in the front row.

Shaan says Henry succeeded with his speech. Usually he’s listing the mistakes Henry made, so he must have done something right. It doesn’t feel like it though. He didn’t see Alex in the crowd.

Not that he was looking.

He’s walked back to his hotel room, and once the door clicks close, he slumps into the lounge couch. He orders room service and plays with David. An hour goes by, without interruptions. 

That is until his doorbell rings, when he was about to change into comfy clothes. 

Which is rather strange because Shaan never rang the bell until there was a guest or the King was coming. And as far as Henry knew, his grandfather left the building an hour ago.

David follows closely when Henry walks to the door. He peeks through the peek hole, seeing Shaan’s figurine by the door.

“What is it?” Henry sighs theatrically, but as soon as he opens the door, Shaan moves out of sight.

Henry’s heartbeat spikes up.

There’s Alex.

Alex with a big, dumb smile on his face.

Ripped jeans and a plain white shirt. It shouldn’t do things to him, but it does. Alex has this amazing talent to look effortlessly sexy. Henry’s thoughts dive into the sight in the lift, those abs and his skinny waist that’s hidden underneath his shirt. If he looks close and long enough, he’s certain he can see those brown nipples staring back at him.

“Alex,” comes a dry cough. “What are you doing here?”

“What, don’t recognize me with clothes on?” Alex says, a troublesome grin peeking through his voice. It earns a confused look from the bodyguard behind him, eyebrows frowning.

“Mr. Claremont-Diaz insisted on seeing you, sir,” Shaan mutters, eyeing both of them.

“Thank you. That’ll be all, Shaan,” Henry gives him a look. Time for you to leave. Shaan nods, gives a half of a respectful bow, before walking away.

Once the door clicks close, Alex takes a step. Henry relaxes a little, but keeps his distance. He doesn't know what he’s doing here, why Alex is in his hotel room and why there’s a sheepish glint in the corner of his eyes.

“Man, I knew my room was fancy, but this is a whole another level,” Alex whistles, impressed, when they walk further to the lounge. “Is that a fucking terrace with a pool?”

“Um, yes,” Henry answers. Alex gives him a look. Henry, who’s known to have boys in his hotel rooms. Henry, who knew exactly why Shaan gave him that look. Henry, who should be smooth and natural about this – this isn’t exactly unknown territory for him – but finds himself nervous. “Can I offer you a drink?” he asks. “They got me stocked up.” They always do.

“Sure.”

“What do you like? Wine, beer, whiskey –”

“Whiskey sounds good.”

“Ice?”

“Yes.” Henry pops the cork and pours out a generous measure. He reaches the glass to Alex, they clink the glasses and he takes a sip.

“Your speech was quite inspiring,” Henry mutters, strangely it’s the only topic that pops up to his head. Alex stares down at the whiskey, swirling the glass around.

“I love my mom,” he says, quietly. “But to get her re-elected is a lot. I do like it, don’t get me wrong, but it can be really stressful.” He emphasizes the last word. Henry gets Alex – he really does.

“I know a thing or two about stress, and how awful it can be,” Henry replies, honestly. Alex gives him a faint smile, before they wordlessly walk outside to the terrace, where Alex glimpses the pool with night lights on, but leans against the balcony railing. His eyes scan around the city, wondering, like he’s seeing it for the first time.  

“Your speech was nice too, “ Alex adds.

“You were there?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” he smiles, mouth on the glass’s rim before taking a drink. Henry’s eyes lock the way he swallows, how his throat and Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. “Though, I’ve gotta say, it felt a little scripted to me.”

“All my speeches are written and scripted beforehand,” Henry says, voice dropping low on the words, nearly inaudible. His brows pucker and turns back to the horizon of the bright lighted city. “I have to follow the instructions given to me.”

“Sounds like you always follow the instructions.”

“I have to. There’s no other choice.”

“There’s always a choice,” Alex whispers. Henry takes a rather long gulp from his whiskey.

Henry stares into the industrial wall of a city. “You can’t possibly understand what it’s like.”

“A man of colour who’s queer and the president’s son? Yeah, totally could not understand,” Alex mutters. It must be some trick of those eyes, deep brown and meaningful, which bring an unexpected lump to Henry’s throat.

“Please forgive me. I didn’t mean it like that. I simply meant that the royal life is different from what you have experienced.”

“I get that, I do, but it’s not so different in the end. We both have families in high power and we’re in constant media spotlight.”

“But you can date, can’t you? You can pick a guy and go on a date. I can’t do that. It’s not allowed for me.”

“I’m not exactly out yet, even to my mom, and I definitely do not want to ruin my mom’s re-election with a shock like that.”

There’s understanding in his eyes. Their lives are different, in so many levels, but about this.. maybe Alex can never fully understand why Henry can’t be gay, not in his grandfather’s eye, but he’s willing to understand. Maybe people are more open in America, and if Alex decided to come out, it would be fine.

But for Henry.. it’s out of the question. “So,” Alex coughs. “How often do you..do this?”

“Do what?”

“Your guard had me sign an NDA. Just to come meet you. I’d say it tells quite a lot.”

“He’s my equerry, actually.”

“What’s that?”

“Not important.”

“Like a butler?”

“Not like a –” Henry sighs, taking a look at him. “What was your question again?”

“Do you often invite boys to your hotel room?”

“I was under the impression you invited yourself here.”

“Right, yeah. I just meant.. “

“Forced to stay in the closet means I can’t really date people. Shaan makes them sign an NDA even just for a hook-up. It’s standard procedure.”

Henry regrets saying that, because in no way is this a hook-up. He doesn’t want Alex to believe it’s the only reason Henry would want him to be here. 

“I’m sorry,” he says instead, with pure eyes at Henry. “You deserve to be loved openly. Date whoever you want. Fuck everyone else.”

Henry lets out a soft chuckle. In so many ways Alex is naive, but Henry kind of likes that about him. The words of encouragement that Henry was used to hearing, used to say to himself, felt.. new and refreshing out of someone like Alex.

Two dimples tuck themselves into Alex’s cheeks. God, those bloody dimples will be Henry’s undoing. 

Alex leans towards him and Henry panics. “You were right,” he sputters. It causes Alex to straighten his posture, sipping his glass empty.

“I usually am, yes.”

“I meant about the security cameras. They didn’t have any sound.” Henry recalls a short conversation with Shaan after getting rescued. Alex stares at his empty glass. “In case you were worried about.. Our conversation possibly getting leaked.” Alex keeps staring at the bottom of his glass. “Also,” Henry adds, with a sudden dry throat and pink cheeks. “When they were trying to get the doors open, they accidentally cut a camera wire. So the cameras stopped filming approximately ten minutes before they got the doors open. They didn’t see – ” Henry stops himself when Alex looks at him. His eyes are tender, but curious. Henry clears his throat. “They.. um, didn’t see anything. In case you were worried.”

Alex doesn't react. Not even a flicker of his eyelids. He simply stares at Henry, so there’s thumping in his heart and Henry's hands get sweaty around the glass. Henry is unable to look anywhere else than Alex’s eyes, and cannot stop thinking about his lips on him. How inviting and moist his lips look like.

And how much Henry wants to kiss Alex again. Without interruptions and without a hurry, slowly discovering everything there is to know about his mouth.

Alex takes Henry’s glass, and a quick sip, before he closes the distance between them. He slips a hand to Henry’s waist, meets him halfway and draws him into a kiss. He tastes like strawberries and whiskey. A rather odd combination, but Henry can’t get enough of it. His fingers slide from his waist up the curves of his back, slowing as he finds his shoulder blades.

He’s deepening into the kiss, hand sliding to squeeze Henry’s upper thigh, when he feels a soft push. Only when they’re back inside the suite does Henry realize he’s being shoved against the white divan couch.

Alex presses his body close, blood rushing south, very fast. He’s straddling Henry’s thighs, hands all over each other, until Alex tugs Henry’s hair. Henry's fingers fumble on Alex’s ridiculous ripped jeans, under the waistband of his black boxers.

Alex kisses him, hard and merciless. A button or two pops, there’s a piece of clothing being torn, but Henry doesn’t care, part of him is actually relieved Alex decided to ruin the crown’s favourite dress shirt that was never his favourite. 

Alex relocates his mouth on his throat and then Adam’s apple, and Henry tilts his head back to the cushion to give him more skin to kiss. A thought of slowing down occurs to Henry, maybe they shouldn’t do this – but his body has other ideas. Or maybe it’s all the blood in Henry rushing right into his cock.

Savage and wild desire floods in, there’s grinding on their clothed but obviously hard cocks and when Alex puts his tongue in Henry’s mouth, he makes a low, aggravated sound. He needs this, and by the feel of Alex, he really needs this too.

Alex leans back just to pull his shirt over his head, and there it is, the same breathtaking sight of Alex's muscular and flawless torso. Henry kisses his stomach, trailing a path up to his hardened nipples, feeling the vibrations when Alex growls in response. It’s not nearly enough, he needs to feel Alex’s skin against his own. He needs to feel Alex, all of him.

Henry trails open-mouthed and wet kisses down his body, there’s a clink of a belt buckle opening.

“Leaking for me already, huh?” Alex smirks with a hot and dripping voice. His undeniably sexy voice makes his cock thicken and throb at the same time. Henry doesn’t need to look to know there's wet stains in his white boxers. There’s a soft squeeze around Henry’s thickening cock, but suddenly Alex pulls back to give him a caring look.

“This okay?”

“Yes,” Henry replies with a husky voice, hand steadily around Alex’s waist. He surrenders to Alex’s hands tugging his trousers, adjusting his position to drop his boxers to his ankles. Fingers twine in the waves of Alex’s hair, when he sinks to his knees. 

And oh, what a spectacular view that is. Henry nearly comes just from the sight of Alex’s long lashes, brown eyes filled with lust, holding his eye contact when he licks around him.

Alex definitely knows what he’s doing. He starts off slowly, around the edges and around Henry’s balls and that tender spot beneath. He takes excruciatingly slow strokes that earn low and desperate whimpers from Henry, until there's an unhuman moan when Alex fully opens his pretty mouth for Henry’s cock. 

Henry cannot look anywhere else than Alex. Alex, who smirks when taking Henry’s full length. In response, Henry’s hips involuntary jerk forward, making Alex choke. It doesn’t stop him, on the contrary. Alex keeps going, sucking harder while a hand creeps on Henry’s thigh, ending up curving his ass. 

When that finger finds Henry’s hole, he’s definitely feeling a strong wave coming. A wave that’s hard to keep at bay. Alex has to feel it too, when he pulls out with drool on his lips. 

Henry should probably identify his feelings that are growing for this man kneeling in front of him, but like Henry always does, he pushes all those feelings inside. He can deal with those later. Later when he’s used Alex the way he needs to and tossed him away. 

“How do you wanna – ” Henry interrupts Alex by kissing him on the mouth. His lips are slippery and a bit salty. 

“I’m on PreP," Henry says. 

“I prefer condoms.”

“Of course.” 

“But I don’t really mind. Position wise.”

Henry loves to be on the receiving end, but when Alex gives him a chance to be back in control, he gets a hot wave of arousal that shoots directly into his throbbing cock. 

Being the one that has Alex gasping when he tosses him back onto the couch. Raise of brows when he throws cushions out of the way. The sheer thrill when Henry takes a condom from his breast pocket – clearly to use on his own – and a travel size bottle of lube.

Alex giggles when Henry rolls those obscene jeans down to his knees, no time to get them fully off, just so he can see the amazing cock, waiting for attention: pulsating, hard and already leaking with precum. Henry plans to give him all his undivided attention. Henry gives him a couple of pumps, before opening his mouth. His mouth pecks at the head of his cock. Alex gasps, when he licks the slit before swallowing him whole.

Henry loves the increasing sounds of Alex, but pulls away in the brink of time just like Alex did. Not letting him come just yet. He stands up to kiss Alex, while he pulls the rest of his jeans down. “Turn over,” Henry whispers darkly, his hands already turning him to the side to see the wonderful curve of his ass he glimpsed earlier today. Except now it’s here, in front of Henry, completely his. 

The moan that escapes out of Alex, delight and thick of desire, fills up his ears. The only sound Henry wants to hear for the rest of his life.

“Henry,” Alex whispers, craning his head to peer at Henry, voice hoarse with arousal. “I want to see you.”

Without any complaints, they reposition on the couch. He gently places Alex on his back, catching his red face when Henry straddles his lap. He props a pillow under his hips, giving his already leaking cock a brief pump.

“Is this okay?”

“Yes, Henry, but I really –“ The pressure of Alex's thighs is solid and warm, and Alex spays his legs open wider for him to settle down. “–need you. In me.”

It earns a sensation from his dick like vibrant sparks, ready to explode. “Right, yes,” Henry stutters, sucking a tight, hot breath. 

Alex touches him, tracing along his skin, planting kisses everywhere and on everything: his arms, his stomach, his abdomen. The tender motions become second nature to Henry. He’s done this plenty of times – but he’s never done it like this. It feels more vulnerable when he sees Alex, who never breaks eye contact when Henry tears the condom package and opens the lube’s lid.

Like this is how they are meant to be. His hand brushes where his leg meets the crotch. Henry’s body shifts in rhythm, and their hips meet properly for the first time, and he can feel the pounding of Alex’s pulse.

A giddy shudder runs across his skin, and Alex’s pupils dilate from the first contact. A hand wraps around Henry’s ass rather quickly, guiding him and keeping in the right kind of pace.

Henry leans in to find his hot mouth, only Alex to whimper in his mouth when he fastens the riding speed.

“Oh, god,” Alex pants, with a firm grip of Henry’s waist. “F-feels so good. You feel so good.”

“Yeah?” Henry smiles and greedily rolls the hips as he says that, speeding up, which earns a ragged puff from Alex. 

“Fuck,” Alex gasps, grabbing Henry’s face and smashing their faces together. They kiss each other sloppily, while one of Alex’s hand takes Henry’s cock and starts jerking him off in the same rhythm as Henry bounces. "Keep going."

"Like this?"

"Fuck me."

"I am." 

"You're so –" Alex pants, grabbing Henry's face and kisses him breathless. 

“I’m –” Henry whimpers between the kisses, his sentence being cut off by the overgrowing build inside of him and the unstoppable burning in his groins. “ – so close.”

“Oh yeah?” Alex smirks arrogantly, his fingertips tightly on his waist, enough to bruise, holding Henry steady when he rides Alex. “You’re gonna come for me, baby?” 

Those words and that fucking deep voice should be illegal. Henry bites his lip while throwing his head back. He can’t resist it much longer. 

Especially when he starts bucking his hips against Henry, Alex's cock getting buried deeper inside of his ass. Henry’s vision starts to blur and he’s seeing stars. “I’m co–” Henry stutters, but literally comes in the middle of his sentence, splashing all over, so Alex’s fist around his cock gets coated with come. Henry's eyes roll to the back of his head, toes curling, and he doesn’t even try to restrain his moans.

Alex’s dick twitches and Henry feels every ounce of Alex’s earthshaking orgasm and how he cries out profanities, half-English, half-Spanish when he erupts inside the condom.  

Henry’s body shakes for a minute or two, resting his sweaty forehead against Alex’s. For a nice quiet moment neither of them say anything. Silence falls to the hotel room, only their heavy breathings filling the air. Henry stays still, inside Alex, while they catch their breaths. 

For the first time, Henry doesn't want to move away. Not an inch. He doesn't want to lose the warmth or this feeling. He doesn't want to come down from the post-orgasm high, so Henry stays in the moment as long as he can.

A beam of sunlight hits Henry’s eyes. He squints his eyes open, feeling sweaty from the direct sunlight since he forgot to shut the window blinds. Henry stretches his arms, touching bare, warm skin near him. He instantly pulls his arms back to his sides, heart thumping in his chest when there’s a mess of black curly hair on the pillow next to him. 

There’s a soft snore and his muscular back moves a little.

Oh, right.

Last night.

Alex.

Henry considers his options, mainly consisting of different ways to run away. From his own hotel room like a coward. Like he hadn’t done one night stands before. But none of them were like last night. None of them were Alex.

He does remember what happened after – separate showers and change of sheets – but Henry was sure Alex left. He remembers seeing him by the door, but then there were Alex’s lips, and maybe he stayed the night.

“Good morning,” comes a scruffy, tired morning voice. Henry flinches, seeing Alex turn to face him. He rubs his eyes with one hand, while the other slides around Henry’s thigh, their feet dangling together.

“M-morning.”

Alex gives him a lazy smile, and yawns. He stretches his arms, widely opening them and there’s a soft crack. Henry can’t stop looking at the sheet falling down to reveal Alex’s dick, that’s half-hard and flat against his stomach. Alex catches his stare, and Henry blushes red.

“Last night –” he starts but Alex shoves against him, so Henry falls on top of Alex’s hard pecs. A hand wraps around Henry’s ass, squeezing, while Alex’s tongue licks his earlobe. “Last night,” Henry repeats, but the words barely stutter out of him. “We shouldn’t have.. I mean what we did –”

“You seemed to enjoy it. Twice.” He nibs Henry’s earlobe while his finger strokes on the crease of his ass and carefully puts one finger inside, making Henry shiver. “Or was it three times?”

“Ah, fuck,” Henry gasps. 

“Exactly. And we weren’t drunk.” Henry tries to squirm out of his hold, in which he somehow succeeds, sliding across the kingsize bed. Alex tugs his eyebrows, curiously. “And you asked me if I was okay with it.”

“Quite, yes. I just meant.. it cannot happen again. This was just, you know, a one time thing,” Henry says, reasonably.

“Obviously. With the press and all. Wouldn’t want this to leak out,” Alex says seriously, and then his tongue peeks out of his mouth. There’s a stupid grin on his face when he says the next words. “Speaking of leaking…” 

He’s being an annoying prick. Henry wrinkles his nose. “You really are the most infuriating –”

Alex stops him with a slow and patient kiss, that almost makes his heart crawl out. That almost wants Henry to forget the real world and keep Alex in his bed forever. “Let me convince you,” Alex whispers, seductively. “Why we should do it for the fourth time.”

“Fourth?” Henry laughs, but it falls short when his brain reminds him of last night, and how they might have actually done it three times in a row. 

Well, fuck. 

A curl of hair plucks loose, that Alex tucks behind his ear. Henry’s eyes soften and his heart wobbles at the small yet intimate touch. Henry is sure, if he stares into those deep brown eyes a second longer, they’re about to discover a whole lot more than just a casual one night stand.

He shouldn’t. They shouldn’t.

But when Alex’s hand cups around his hardening cock, he loses all rational thoughts. He finds Alex’s eager mouth, and it’s all the convincing Alex needs. He trails a path of kisses from his chest to his thighs, opening them wider to welcome Alex. And like last night, Henry can’t look anywhere else than him when Alex parts his mouth open.

He’s being a tease, toying with his tongue. He kisses the head, the tip and playfully flicks his tongue around it like a fucking asshole tease he is. 

Henry needs him right now. “Alex,” Henry whines roughly, gripping his hair. Alex is smirking pleasingly when Henry places his head down, so his mouth opens fully for Henry’s throbbing and leaking cock. 

Alex’s other hand strokes Henry’s nipples for a brief second before sinking down, around Henry’s ass. “Fuck – ah,” Henry gasps helplessly, loud and hot when a finger goes inside the same time Alex sucks him deeper, head bopping. 

Alex fingerfucks him while sucking, and Henry tries to keep his eyes open so he can focus on his face. Red, determined and smirking. Feeling like Alex is trying to memorize every vein and angle of Henry, the choking little gasps Alex makes when Henry’s hips thrust into him.

Henry comes much faster than he expected, only with two of Alex’s fingers, shooting his load right into Alex’s mouth. The way Alex’s eyes widen with pleasure and arousal, and how he happily swallows, nearly makes Henry come twice in a row. 

Henry throws his head back on the pillow and closes his eyes, letting out a relieved moan. Alex’s hot and amazing mouth disappears, which he already misses. He tries to catch his own breath, when he hears rustling and a wet, squelching sound.

Henry opens his eyes to find Alex jerking his red and veiny cock in front of him. He’s willing to offer his help, but when Alex locks his eyes with him, it’s all Alex needs. Alex clenches his jaw and grunts when the splashes of cum spurt all over his hands, to Henry’s thighs and legs, the mattress around them.

“Made quite the mess,” Henry mutters with a smirk. Alex’s lips tug at him. “I could have returned the favour.” He watches how Alex’s chest heaves, how he’s trying to catch his breath. Alex closes his eyes, rolling onto the bed, half on top of Henry.

“Next time,” Alex says, voice weak but satisfied.  

Henry’s stomach does a pleasant little flip. “I told you, this was a one time thing.”

It is a one time thing, Henry convinced himself. Alex doesn’t respond, just takes a deep breath while a hand strokes on Henry’s stomach. 

He’s fairly sure he would have stayed there if it wasn’t for his phone alarm. The alarm that wakes Henry to the harsh reality.

He leaps off the bed, collecting pieces of clothing. “You should go,” Henry says, trying not to sound cold or rude. “Before my staff comes and finds you here.”

Henry hides in the bathroom, hoping Alex catches his signal to leave. He showers, cleans himself and does his best not to think about Alex’s face when he came on him just minutes ago.

Next time.  

Such a casual way of saying he’s more than fine doing this again. There’s a bonfire of curiosity blooming in Henry’s chest, and the need to feel Alex again. His cock is soft when he steps out the shower, but swears it thickens when he thinks about possibly having Alex again.

He focuses on doing his mourning routine and what his grandfather would do if he knew about this. As always, it works like a charm.

Henry walks out the bathroom, to find the bed empty. The sheets have been straightened like Alex tried to make the bed. Part of him is relieved but also disappointed at the same time. 

“This was fun,” comes a low voice by the door. Alex is mostly dressed up, pulling the shirt over his head. He tucks the shirt under his jeans, twinkling eyes waiting for Henry’s reply. “You sure you don’t want my number?”

Henry resists the urge to smile. “Go. Before anyone sees you.” He can’t read his next expression. But mostly, he doesn’t look surprised. Like Alex expected this, them parting their ways. 

Like he knew it would end like this. 

Alex reaches for the door handle. He’s hesitating. He thinks for a moment, before casting a glance over his shoulder, with a jubilant smile. “Don’t you dare fall in love with me, Your Royal Highness.”

“In your dreams,” Henry scoffs and shows him the middle finger. Alex laughs warmly, giving Henry a fond look before walking out. 

Henry freezes on the spot. 

Something cracks in the perfect face of his. 

There’s a glass wall, that he’s more than familiar with. He’s certain that nobody, certainly not Alex, could see it. Because Henry has been maintaining it for his entire life, to keep it steady, perfect and protected. A glass cage would be the better word word for it, that Henry belonged to. Always have, always will. 

So it catches Henry by shock when there’s a spark, named Alex Claremont-Diaz, slipping through a tiny crack of the glass wall. He has no idea if it’s strong enough to find its way through, possibly break it. The wall could very well be more secured after he’s done with Alex. 

But then, there is a small thought – a feeling. Feeling that scares and excites Henry for the first time in a long time. 

Maybe Alex could be the one to bring his walls down.