Leo
Alex was ten, almost eleven, when his father, Oscar Diaz, left their family home and moved to California. He divorced Ellen and ran for the Senate, only seeing Alex and June a couple of times a year. Alex was twelve when he first met Leo at a State Dinner. Ellen, his mom was Speaker of the House, back then. It was only fourteen months after his father had left their family home.
Leo was enthralled with Ellen Claremont, completely smitten from the moment they met. He hadn't tried hard to impress June or Alex; he had just been his usual self. Sure, he had wanted Ellen's kids to like him. But on their own terms. He didn't want to force himself in her kids. Both kids were still hurting over the break up of their family, the finalisation of their parent's divorce and their father's abrupt departure from their everyday life.
He had been seeing Ellen for almost nine months and they had been discussing moving in together, but Leo had refused to do so until both kids were in agreement that it was ok. He did not want them to feel uncomfortable in their own home. They had been going back and forth on it for a while. But Leo was being patient. June had given her consent the week before, it had been Alex who had been hurt and refusing to speak to any of them, including June. He remembered a particular night fondly for a few reasons.
The first reason had been Alex coming in the kitchen, with his blase adolescent attitude in full on mode and saying to him. "Yo, Dude! Ya can move in, ya know. Ya don't need my permission. Just don't let me see ya smackin' your lips on my ma. Ain't no one needs to see that, yeah?" And he had ran off, not giving Leo a chance to respond.
The second reason had been that June had asked him for advice. It wasn't advice of anything of consequence, just a run of the mill question about a dress in a catalogue and whether she should buy the blue or the red. He had told her that the red would suit her just as lovely as the blue and that she shouldn't ever wear anything that someone else picked out for her. That she was her own person and capable of picking her clothes.
The third reason had been the look on Ellen's face when he told her that Alex had not only spoken to him, but he had also given his acceptance for them to move forward and begin living together.
A year later, when Alex was fourteen, he had come home from school early. Leo had been telephoned to collect him; Alex was running a fever. Which had been to no one's surprise. He was the last one of the four of them to get the virus that had plagued their house, making its way through everyone. Being an inventor and having a lab inside your home had its advantages. It meant that Leo had been there to take care of Alex when he had been sent home from school. Which had also taken the burden off June having to miss school to take care of him, while Ellen was busy working.
That day, it was Alex who cornered Leo in the kitchen and this time, he didn't bring his blase, adolescent punk attitude with him. He brought his serious mature attitude. "Ok." Alex had begun, seriously as Leo had begun fixing Alex a cup of coffee. He had just started drinking it but was only allowed one cup a day. Ellen's orders. "What's going on, Leo? You're all jittery and you seem like you want to talk to me, but don't want to at the same time. If it's about me being sick, I promise I'll be no trouble. I'll go upstairs and you won't hear me. You'll be able to work in peace. I won't even make a sound."
"God no, Alex. It's not you." Leo laughed and smiled at him, trying to keep the teen calm. "You are right though; I do want to talk to you about something. But you can't tell anyone, yet."
"What is it? You don't have the plague or some shit, right?"
"No." Leo braced himself. This had the possibility to upheave everything that they'd built between them. They were just beginning to get along. "I was wonderin' how you'd feel, if I asked your mom to marry me?"
"Stellar!" Alex grinned at him, ignoring the look of disapproval on Leo's face at Alex's language. Leo was surprised by Alex's answer. "About fuckin' time."
The thing about being a stepfather is no matter how much you love and respect your partner's kids, like they're your own. They're always going to have the bond they share with their father too. Making the stepparent feel just a little bit insignificant, at times. That's ok, though. But it was never like that for Leo.
Ellen was gearing up to run for the US presidency. Oscar was on the campaign trail too, swept up in the politics. June was away at school and when she called home every week, Leo made sure to promise her that he was making sure Alex was eating and not living on coffee, doing his homework and brushing his teeth.
His wife wasn't a neglectful wife or mom, she was busy. She worked in Washington DC and didn't want to uproot her whole family for the sake of her career. She knew she had all of Leo's unwavering support, so Leo gallantly offered to stay back in Texas, take care of the house and of Alex, who was in high school and needed the stability.
Ellen was so busy with work she hadn't noticed that June had been neglecting her studies to constantly care for Alex. To make sure he was fed and clothed. That he didn't survive on coffee alone. That he did his homework and made his bed, brushed his teeth. Making sure he abided by his curfew and reined him in every now and again. She hadn't noticed that Alex had been spiraling out of control. Stealing Liam's ADHD meds, being underage and getting drunk on Shiner. Taking his father's jeep and speeding down the freeway recklessly. Getting arrested for a DUI but let off with a verbal warning because your mom is the Speaker of the House and has left you all alone again.
It was Leo who staged the intervention with the kids. He told June in no uncertain terms that while it was ok to love and care for Alex, she needed to focus on school and herself. He told Alex that he needed to speak to someone to help him sort out his emotions. That he would help him get his life back on track and understand his complex feelings. Before he went on to remind them, that as their stepfather, he loved them very much and he was going to step up and help out more.
Next, he 'encouraged' June to return to living in her dorm room more regularly than she had been in the past. He went with Alex to meet with the psychologist. He spoke with doctors and took Alex to get assessed for ADHD. He attended Alex's lacrosse games and helped with homework, when needed. He helped take control of his emotions by making lists and being a soundboard for the young man.
In turn, June buckled down and he was delighted when she announced that she was finally passing that one class she had been having difficulty with. She had come home for a family dinner one night, near the end of the school year and hugged him in thanks as soon as she saw him. She had been thankful to him, both for his encouragement and help with Alex.
When Alex finished that same school year with an honor score and made the honor roll, Leo was proud of him and didn't hold back in telling him. When the SATs rolled around, Leo was there every night. Helping, encouraging, providing coffee breaks and meals. Making sure Alex slept regularly and soundly. When the scores came in no one was more shocked than Alex, when he opened his score and found he had scored a 1599. He immediately screamed in shock and surprise. In his flurry of thanks, he bypassed his mom and dad, and went straight for Leo, crushing him in a huge hug. He made sure to hug June next.
At sixteen, Alex had escorted Leo and his mom to some fancy political dinner in DC. They were gearing up to start their campaign and Ellen's Presidential running for the White House. June was away at school and honestly relieved to be missing out on the fancy dinner. Leo noticed that as soon as his stepson was introduced to the granddaughter of Mike Holleran, Ellen's running mate, Alex was smitten.
It was less of a surprise, when the following morning, Alex left him and his wife, to go and hang out with Nora, Mike's granddaughter. In the blink of an eye, Alex and Nora were a thing. Ellen had taken a strong approach with Alex and reminded him of some new things since she was now running an election campaign. No visible marks. Keep PDAs to a tame standard. No public fights. Remember to use protection.
Leo had barely blinked again, and the young lover's relationship had become volatile. They were on again, off again and the press had been eating their relationship up. Meanwhile, June had come home from school, met Noar and they'd instantly become BFFs.
Alex's relationship with Nora was over for good. It had ended with a polite discussion and tearful, forced grin in the living room of their home in Austin. The lone witness to the final breakup was Leo, whom had been pottering in the kitchen, trying not to eavesdrop. Which was an unavoidable task, given the close proximity of the two rooms.
The only sign Leo had that Nora had left was the soft sigh from Alex when he joined Leo at the kitchen table. "Wanna talk about it?" Leo offered, knowing Alex needed to process before he could discuss, but wanting to let Alex know he was happy to talk it over with him.
"Nah, not yet." Alex sighed again. "Probably for the best."
That was all Alex said on the subject. They never did talk it over, nor did Alex talk to anyone else about it. Instead, he threw himself back into his schooling and helping out with his mom's campaign.
On occasion, Leo would catch wind of a story in the press of Alex and Nora, involving a hotel room. But he knew it was solely done, for the benefit of the press. Alex always had a shit-eating grin the following day and Leo recognised it as the grin he wore when he was messing with someone, for his own amusement.
With the successful outcome of the election, the three of them had been dubbed 'The White House Trio.' A think term made up by Zahra and issued by the press secretary.
His mom had won the presidency, they were living in the White House, and he had been accepted into Georgetown to study Government and Political Science. It was no secret that Alex had wanted to be a politician like his parents. He had dreams, big dreams and Leo was determined to help Alex make them happen. Much like he had for June. June was now a journalist.
When Alex came home, back to the Residence, fed up with his courses and professors at Georgetown, truly unhappy, it was Leo who talked him into not quitting school altogether. Leo was the one that suggested he clear his head with a walk, which had taken him by the registration office for the LSATs. On an impulse, Alex took himself inside and registered for the next test, the following day.
That night, when Leo had retired to his office, Alex excused himself, claiming he had homework and went and knocked on the door of Leo's office. There he poured Alex a finger of whiskey and Alex told him he had registered to take the LSATs - tomorrow! Leo thought he was crazy and laughingly told him so. Before hugging the son of his heart fiercely and giving him some soft words of support and encouragement. Making sure to tell him, "I believe in you. Hell, you get a good enough score and decide you want to go to Harvard? I'll pay for it. Just like I did for June and Journalism school. You tell me what school you want, and I'll pay for it. No arguments. You have my word."
"Hey, Leo?" Alex turned back as he was leaving. "Don't tell anyone else yet, about the LSATs, not even mom."
"You got it, kiddo." Leo promised him.
Three weeks later, or thereabouts, Leo found Alex unusually stressed and eating Helados on the floor of the Residence kitchen at 3am in the morning. Leo had been on his way to bed, after chatting to his wife, who was in UK for a discussion on brokering a trade deal between the US and the UK. "What's going on?" Leo said, snagging a spoon from the drawer and taking a seat on the cold floor beside Alex, leaning against the lower bank of cabinets. "Do we need to do lists again? Maybe Venn diagrams or graph something? Bar charts?"
Alex laughed nervously, then chuckled. Taking a big bite of his ice cream, he let out a sigh. He reached into the pocket of his robe. "This came in yesterday's mail." The envelope was folded in half and beginning to lose the crispness of the paper.
"Is that ..?" He asked. Leo was sure he recognised the LSAT insignia for the Law School Admissions Council.
"LSAT scores. I've been dreading opening it, what if I bombed? How the hell could I think I would pass with less than one day of prep time?" He asked, worriedly. By now, Leo knew well enough to let Alex get his thoughts out before answering his questions. "Those scores last for five years."
"You can always re-sit them, Alex." Leo reminded his stepson. "It's not the end of the world. Look, you're a smart guy, you definitely won't have bombed out. Open it." At Alex's incredulous look, Leo explained further. "As far as I know, I am still the only one who knows you took them - with no study time, I might add. June's at Nora's for the night and your mom isn't here. It's just us."
"So, if I bombed, no one would need to know?" Alex smiled at him. Opening the envelope, his hands were shaking. When he managed to get his eyes on the words printed on the page, they seemed to blur. His eyes had filled with tears, before his brain could register the words.
Wordlessly, he handed it over to Leo. Leo had been waiting patiently. "Fuck, Alex. 179!" Hysterical laughter came from Alex's mouth. He had only ever heard Leo swear twice in all the years he had been a part of his life. Once when he backed his classic 1957 red Chevvy, his self-proclaimed baby, into the side of the house. Alex had been 15, then, and today. "A 179, that's amazing. I am so proud of you, Alex."
"Think we could keep this between us for a bit longer?" Alex asked Leo. "I just need to let this sink into my brain."
"Of course, kiddo."
When Alex announced at the beginning of his final year of college that he would changing major's a lengthy, rather loud discussion had taken place in the Residence. On that occasion, Oscar had been visiting too, as well as Nora Holleran, the VP's granddaughter. Zahra was there too, and June was home from assignment, in Los Angeles where she had been for the last seven weeks.
Alex, as his usual chaotic self dropped the bomb out of nowhere. "So, just to put it out there." He had begun, interrupting a conversation on the ethics of something a rather. "I'm changing majors. Dropping out of Government and Political Science."
A rowdy discussion had broken out and Leo had not been surprised when everyone had started piling on Alex immediately, except June. It was what they all usually did. No one had thought to ask him what he was changing his major to or why.
"ENOUGH!" Leo boomed, fed up with the cacophony of noise. His voice piercing through multiple verbal attacks at Alex, stunning the room into silence. "Alex, what will your new major be? You said you were dropping your major, not dropping out of school altogether." Leo made sure that his comment stung Oscar, Ellen and Zahra. They had been the main culprits. "I assume that means you have a new major in mind."
"Pre-Law." He grinned at his stepfather. Leo returned it. He had known it was coming and he had felt a surge of pride at Alex's words.
Alex's announcement had only added fuel to the fire in the room. Now, June and Nora had joined in, thinking he was totally crazy. "Sugar, you can't just decide to do pre-law on a whim." Ellen's voice had cut through the rest of them. "What about politics? That is your future."
"Geez, MOM!" June shouted in anger at Ellen. "It's his life, Alex doesn't have to go into politics or do whatever the hell you tell him to. It's his life. Let him make his own decisions."
"Law is a good steppingstone for politics, Ellen." Oscar reminded her. "I was going to start out as a lawyer but changed to teaching. Many of our colleagues have been lawyers. Obama was a lawyer."
Alex didn't have the heart to burst their bubble. He wasn't one hundred percent sure he wanted to be a politician these days. "Darlin', you're gonna have to get your rear in gear and study hard. You're gonna have to register to take those LSATs by at least December. You'll want to have all your sucks in a row, early." Ellen advised him.
"We can get you a tutor, if you need, as well." Oscar added, trying to be helpful and outdo his ex-wife's advice. "You carve out some regular study time and focus on getting a good LSAT score."
"What if I told you all, I got fed up last year and already took the LSATs? Without any study time?" Alex asked sardonically, winking at Leo.
"Alex, you don't just decide on whim because you're fed up, to go and take the LSATS." Zahra lectured him. "It's not like any other test; you have to study and mentally prepare for them. It takes weeks and months of hard work. Some people study for up to a year."
"Sugar, we just want what's best for you." Ellen soothed over Zahra's lecture. "So, you took them, already? I am sure with some more study and prep time; you can get even a better score."
"Excuse me." Alex stood up angrily and glared at almost the whole table. "178 is a fucking great score." And he stormed out, slamming his bedroom door for good measure.
The rest of the dinner was tense and filled with awkward stares. June had gone after Alex, only to return heartbroken at his refusal to speak to her. Nora had tried too. Then Zahra, his mom and then his dad. Alex had refused to speak to every single one of them who had sought him out. When dinner was all over and the coffee was finished, Leo excused himself, claiming he had work to complete and headed off in search for his stepson.
He was not at all surprised to find him sitting on the Truman balcony, now it was much later at night, and he had calmed down a bit more. Leo liked to sneak cigars with Oscar out there, so it was not unusual he and Alex sit there together and catch up. He and Alex quite often had an after-dinner drink out here, away from everyone else's prying eyes. "Are you ok?" He asked, handing Alex a large glass of whiskey and a cigar, he'd retrieved from his office, on his way to find Alex. "That was one of our crazier dinners, hey?"
"It was unbelievable." He huffed, and rightly so. Alex opted not to smoke the cigar. He wasn't big on them like his dad and Leo was. But he was grateful for the large whiskey his stepfather had brought out with him.
"Everyone will come around in a couple of days." Leo whispered, encouragingly. "But, in the back of your head, I want you to start thinking about which law school am I sending a cheque to. Ok? Remember, no arguments. I'm paying. I'll deal with your Ma and Oscar, just like I did for June."
Leo kept his word and duked it out with Oscar and Ellen the following morning. Once Alex had left for his run. He hadn't wanted his stepson to overhear the ensuing argument about his schooling. Oscar and Ellen finally relented to Leo's demand, on the proviso that Alex kept his head down, studied and behaved himself all year. And that included whilst on presidential outings.
So naturally, when he and Prince Henry had a scuffle in front of Prince Philip's wedding cake and the whole seventy-five thousand pounds worth of wedding cake came crashing down around them, the deal was off. That was his wife's edict. But Leo ignored that. He was going to pay for Alex's schooling, regardless. He and Alex had made a deal and he had promised Alex. Leo didn't break promises.
While everyone had been steaming mad at Alex, even Oscar, who wasn't the biggest fan of the royals, Ellen had been furious with her son. Poor Alex. He had taken a grubbing in the press over it, especially in the British tabloids. It was as if the press couldn't fault the perfect prince and wished to blame the mouthy half American, half Mexican kid for the whole debacle.
The thing was, when Alex told him, that the prince shoved him, he actually believed Alex. He could even understand why Alex had been at odds with the prince. The prince had constantly snubbed him, and Alex had taken the heat in the media, time and time again. Then they constantly compared him to the prince. It wasn't fair on Alex, and Leo could see how it was chipping away at the false exterior Alex had built up.
When Alex departed for the UK for the "bromance" tour - or as Ellen and Zahra called it DAMAGE CONTROL, he gave Alex a tight-lipped grin. He pulled out his own cell and sent a message of encouragement and a promise of doing something fun when he returned. As a reward for his cooperation with Zahra, Ellen and of course, Prince Henry.
Alex's mood upon return from his 48-hour whirlwind tour of the UK was surprising to Leo. He was chirpy, upbeat. Almost his usual carefree self. But more surprising to Alex, was that Leo had organised for Oscar to be at the White House to join them. Together the three men had a drink, a cigar and went to the games room for a couple of rounds of pool.
Alex's phone had chirped a couple of times, but neither of the parental figures had thought much of it until after the fourth game when Alex looked at his phone, kissed his dad and playfully nudged Leo. "Gotta go, can't keep the lady waiting."
Leo and Oscar had a large chuckle at breakfast the following day, when splashed across the papers was blurry photographs of Alex and Nora going into a hotel room. Reading the scandalous article had both men clutching at their sides. Seems Alex and Nora were up to their old tricks of baiting the media again for their own amusement.
Leo noticed a slight shift in Alex, shortly after the latest scandal with Nora. Alex seemed to be glued to his phone, a strange grin on his face. He was either constantly reading or sending emails, or text messages. Leo had chuckled one night when he had repeated himself three times, waiting for Alex to register what he was saying, while simultaneously grinning at his phone like a loon.
The stranger part was that no one else had seem to notice the slight hitch in Alex's usual behaviour. Not even Nora. Or June.
The argument at Christmas dinner had come to a head, but it had been surprising when Alex, not June had cut his parents to the quick, verbally for their argument. He hadn't held back either. The look in Alex's eyes made Leo flinch for Ellen and Oscar. He loved his wife, but when Oscar was around, they couldn't help themselves. They were compelled to fight.
At the end of the night, June had gone after her brother. When he had seen her in the hallway later on that evening, he had asked after Alex. June told him, Alex had been on the phone, and he was surprisingly ok. He had been calm.
After the White House Trio's infamous New Years Eve party, Alex seemed to shift again. Leo thought Alex had almost quietened his thoughts. Again, no one else had seemed to notice. Not even Nora or June. He seemed to pick himself up after a week, and what he assumed was a lengthy conversation with Nora, that had taken place behind Alex's locked bedroom door. Alex was still glued to his phone, but that strange grin was gone and replaced with a disappointed, pained look in his eyes and a straight lipped firm look.
Leo had been wondering what to make of the evening, they were hosting the Prince in the Queens bedroom of the residence. The other half of the earlier Bromance tour. Of course, Zahra and Ellen had organised it to coincide with a state dinner, wanting to be seen to be welcoming to the young royal.
Seeing the palpable frustration in Alex's eyes as he frog-marched Prince Henry from the dining room was surprising. But as Leo looked around, no one else seemed to have noticed, except Amy, their secret service agent. She had probably followed Alex, which was her job. So, he didn't give it a second thought and just put it out of his mind. Obviously, whatever had put Alex in his current state had something to do with the prince, knowing how rocky their so-called bromance was.
Leo had been heading to bed, leaving his wife to debrief about the evening with Zahra when he had seen a disheveled Prince Henry leave Alex's room. He had cautiously poked his head out of the room, only looking in the direction of the Queen's bedroom. If Henry had looked the other way, he would have seen Leo and the stunned look on his face.
He had chosen to keep that to himself, as not to upset anyone. This was not Leo's first encounter of the younger duo, for the evening. He had the unfortunate pleasure of finding out another way. No one else, besides Amy, knew what was happening. Leo knew he had to keep Alex's secret. It wasn't his secret to tell. Leo had kept to himself how he had seen Amy at the door, while Alex escorted Henry into the red room, earlier in the evening.
Leo had gone to sneak off for a cigar and upon his return, he'd seen Amy open the door to the red room before exclaiming "Oh God!" and quickly backing out of the room, away from the open door. He had heard the clanging of the brass bibs and bobs on display too. Leo had stepped back, into a small alcove in the passageway and watched as Henry and Alex appeared from the room, disheveled and straightening themselves up as they made their way back to the main room. From then on, Leo had been suspicious.
But it had sealed the deal in Leo's mind when, the following morning, he had joined Alex in the gym and Alex had his shirt off as he ran on the treadmill and his earbuds in. Leo's eyes had bugged out when he had seen the trail of hickeys down his chest and his stepson's back and across his shoulders through the mirrors. He had pretended not to see anything and had continued on with his own routine. He was content to wait for Alex to come to him, despite having no doubt who had decorated Alex's skin with love bites. He just made sure to give Alex a warm, genuine smile of silent support, when he was done. Like always.
Alex appeared nervously, just inside his study doorway, two days later. Despite being the middle of the day, and the two of them being alone in the Residence, Alex had hastily closed the door and pushed the lock closed behind him. "We need to talk." He had rushed out.
Leo had smothered his own nervous chuckle that had threatened to escape from his mouth. His words had been reminiscent of the last time Alex had uttered that sentence at him. It had been the afternoon after he had taken Nicole Blackman to the senior prom and Alex hadn't returned home. "Are you ok?"
"Oh, I am good." Alex's false bravado wavered slightly. "I wanted to talk to you about something." Alex fiddled with his fingers when he was nervous. He always had. According to Oscar and Ellen, he always had, and Leo remembered Alex doing it the day he had first met the twelve-year-old.
"Hey, come and sit." Leo ushered his stepson in and urged him to take a seat on the sofa as he left his desk and met Alex there. "What is it?" At Alex's reluctance to look him in the eye or elaborate on what had him tied up in knots, Leo pressed further. "Does this have anything to do with what happened after the State dinner?"
"You know about that?!" Alex asked, incredulously. He hid his hands in his face, feeling a tinge of embarrassment that Leo had already known. "Was it that obvious? Because Nora said ..."
"No," Leo interrupted him, patting his shoulder in reassurance. "I saw the marks in the gym the following morning." Leo didn't tell Alex that he had seen Henry leave his bedroom, or that he had seen them reappear after their rendezvous in the Red Room. There was no need to embarrass Alex further when he was already feeling so unsure of himself and clearly, he was feeling vulnerable too. "You don't have to tell anyone anything, not even your ma. I promise I won't and haven't told a soul."
"What if I ... What if I wanted to come out to someone?" Alex hesitated. "Someone who won't blow a gasket at me. Someone who cares about me and not their reputation or the public eye."
"I am here for you, Alex." Leo said. He hadn't expected that Alex would tell him this. He couldn't help but flash back to the twelve-year-old kid, nervously twiddling with his fingers in the booth at a diner, where he had met his stepson for the first time. "But you don't owe anyone anything, including me."
"I want to." Alex paused. "I'm bisexual."
"Thank you for telling me." Leo smiled and hugged Alex close to him. He got along well with June, but he and Alex had a closer relationship. Knowing that Alex chose to come out to him, out of everyone possible, made Leo's heart swell. "How long have you known?"
"After talking with Nora, it was kind of obvious." Alex grinned. "That and there was kind of ... something in high school."
Liam. Leo didn't voice his thought, but the name was evident. "Congratulations. We should celebrate." Leo offered. he had no idea if he was doing the right thing or saying the right thing. Alex was smiling, so he guessed he was doing ok. "Next Saturday, you and me dinner at the new steak place on the riverfront?" Leo made a mental note to do some research, to help Alex navigate his brave new world.
"Ah, can we make it Sunday?" Alex asked, as a slight blush tinge graced his face. "I have plans on Saturday and it's going to be a tiring day."
"With Henry?" He asked, before he could take the words back. He hadn't meant to pry. "Sorry, couldn't help but notice you and he ... "
"A charity polo match in Connecticut." Alex didn't confirm or deny his physical relationship with the prince and Leo took note.
It started with the state dinner. Then the charity polo match. A trip to Paris for a conference. New York. Berlin. Leo couldn't help but wonder if all of these engagements involved hotel rooms or not, but Alex always came home smiling widely.
Ellen was always smiling at Alex, beaming widely. She had even voiced how proud and happy she was of Alex for getting into the swing of international relations. She bragged to Leo too and Leo had not said a word. Ellen and Zahra had both been pleased with the press, seeing the headlines claiming Alex and Henry were BFFs. Or Best bros, depending on the publication.
When the trip to LA was brought up at a family dinner with Zahra, Leo shot Alex a secretive glance. Somewhere along the way, Leo worked out that June was now clued in too but didn't know that he knew. It was a charity gala organised by Percy Okonjo, the heir to the Okonjo fortune and famous philanthropist. June had chimed in how Pez, as they called him was friends with Henry and Bea, and they (and Nora) had been invited through their friendship with the royal family.
Zahra and Ellen had deemed it appropriate to be seen at such an event. Plans had been made and Percy had even planned to collect to White House trio and their security entourage from DC. Percy had been forced to sign an NDA and the royal siblings had been given a stern lecture about idle gossip, before the secret service had allowed the three of them to board.
Leo had been scrolling through social media, late on the night of the gala, while Ellen read a book beside him, and he had been surprised to see a photo of the kids online already. "Look El. The kids." Leo said, using the diminutive nickname he had given her when they first got together.
Together the two of them looked at the photographer's small online gallery of the red carpet. "The Super Six." Ellen read off the screen. The press had given them their own nickname. The small write up that accompanied the six photos in the gallery had been two paragraphs about the Okonjo foundation and what they were doing and one about how Alex and Henry's friendship had brought the six of them together to form the group of them. "The White House Trio, the Royal siblings and Heir to the Okonjo family and chairperson of their foundation, make up what we are calling 'The Super Six'. They all seem at ease with each other, joking and chatting with one other as they walked the red carpet together, earlier this evening in Los Angelos. Of course, the catalyst of this super six friendship forming is none other than the BFF's - Alex Claremont-Diaz (pictured left, insert) Son of President Claremont and HRH Prince Henry, son of HRH Princess Catherine and the late Arthur Fox. The two of them first met in Rio in 2016 and where they became instantly friends. Alex and the prince were recently snapped in Paris enjoying a meal together, as the BFFs caught up with one another after the 'cakegate' debacle." Ellen read off the screen before screenshotting the article and sending it to Zahra.
Leo had laid awake after his wife had gone to sleep and thought carefully about his stepson. He was almost positive that Alex and Henry were seeing one another. Alex had never confirmed or denied it when Leo had asked, nor had they spoken about Alex's bisexuality since that fateful day in his office. They had talked, but neither man had brought it up for discussion.
It wasn't that Leo felt awkward talking to Alex about it, but that he wanted Alex to talk about it when he was ready. Not before. In the meantime, Leo had been studying up and reading everything he could. First on bisexuality to help him understand Alex's situation better, then he had gone down a rabbit hole, like Alex usually did, and delved further into the LGBTIQA umbrella, as a whole.
Leo had realised that while Alex had continued to spend time with Henry, Henry had stopped being papped in the media with different women. The paps that had earned him the moniker 'The Prince of England's hearts' Which actually soothed one of Leo's fears. But also brought up another one. He worried for Alex. He worried that because Henry was a prince, he could never be out and feared how that might make Alex feel. Then again, did Alex want to come out? Or were they just experimenting together?
Rolling over, he decided to let his worries go for the moment. All they were going to do tonight, was cause him to lose sleep. He knew he couldn't lie to his wife, if he struggled not to sleep. But he was ok with keeping Alex's secret from her (and Oscar) because it wasn't his secret to share. Besides, he had always told Alex he would never betray his confidence and tell either of his parents, unless it placed Alex in danger.
When, only a month later, he had caught wind of something that had made Zahra's blood boil, shortly after the DNC, Leo wondered if it had anything to do with Alex. Or was it to do with Rafael Luna defecting their oppositions campaign. Figuring it was probably the campaign, he let it go. Until his wife joined him in the bedroom that night, she seemed to be in contemplation. Whatever was on her mind, was weighing heavily on it. "What is it, El?" Leo asked, rubbing her shoulders, as she sat at her vanity mirror, brushing her hair.
"Oh Honey, haven't you heard yet?" She smiled up at the reflection of him, standing behind her and working his fingers into the knots on her shoulder. "Alex came out to me as bisexual. Zahra caught him in his hotel room. With someone. A man. Prominent man. A well-known, famous man. I'm sure Alex will tell you, when he's ready. Zahra made him tell me because of the campaign, you know? Thank fuck, because if anyone finds out, especially Richards or the Press, it's gonna be messy as fuck. I had to tell Alex to make sure of his feelings before continuing the relationship. I don't want my campaign destroyed because on an ill-timed fling."
That was all his wife said. With someone. A man. Prominent man. A well-known, famous man. Well, if that wasn't confirmation, he didn't know what was. "Oh." Leo exclaimed softly, hoping he pulled off a nonchalant tone. "Well, I will act surprised when he tells me."
Nope, Leo wasn't going to say a thing. His wife made a great point about her worries, but he wasn't going to add to them and throw Alex under the buss at the same time.
The following morning, he was sure to wake up early enough to catch Alex, in the gym. Leo didn't want to run the risk of being overheard by anyone else. Alex seemed angry and heartbroken. So, Leo didn't immediately initiate the conversation, letting Alex try to calm himself down and channel his anger. They exchanged pleasantries, but it wasn't until after their workout that Leo spoke again. "I still mean it, you know? I won't tell anyone, even ya mom, anything I know."
Leo had blindsided him with that, as he had been ready to go back to his room and take a shower. "She knows now." Alex said softly, turning to face him. Leo was sitting on the floor doing some cool down stretches. Alex joined him on the floor. "You can tell her you know. Dad wants us to go to the lake house for Labor Day, going to invite Henry and I'll tell Dad then."
"It's not about whether or not Oscar knows, Alex." Leo reminded him. "I promised you I wouldn't say anything, and I meant it."
"You don't want mom to know you've known about it the whole time, do you." Alex joked, lightly punching him in the shoulder, in a playful manner. "Relax June was the next one to work it out, then the whole thing with Zahra happened. She ordered me to tell mom. As soon as I tell Dad, everyone who I want to know, will know."
"So, it really is Henry then? You never actually said." Leo asked. "How in the hell did Zahra find out?"
"Hen, he was already in New York on business, supposed to be gone before we landed, so we hadn't planned on seeing each other." Alex smiled shyly, before continuing. "When the news broke about Raf, he came to see if I was ok. I guess I had too much to drink, and he took me to my room. Z came rompin' in because I forgot to charge my cell and it was fucking dead. Henry managed to hide in a closet. Everything would have been ok, if he didn't fall out of it and land at Z's feet."
Leo cackled with laughter, as well as the irony of the prince being in the closet and falling out of it. "I imagine he wasn't dressed for the occasion." Leo muttered.
"Buck naked." Alex laughed. "He managed to shimmy into shorts a split second before he fell out. I thought Zahra was going to kill me."
"So naked ..." Leo picked up on the point Alex had unconsciously dropped. "Just make sure you're using protection, Alex."
"Not you too, Ma had brochures from Planned parenthood and a PowerPoint presentation." Alex had still seemed like he was simmering with anger. "Then she fired me. Off the campaign. I took the term off school, at her request I might add, to focus my energy on getting her reelected. Now what the hell am I supposed to do?"
That was news to him. He was upset for Alex. The campaign had given him drive and he had a renewed interest in politics. Ellen had carelessly ripped it all out from underneath him. Alex's first serious relationship and his wife had made Alex feel like his relationship was collateral damage to her campaign. Which it was, but Leo could see that she hadn't told him so he couldn't tell her how wrong she and Zahra were by doing so. "That's shit, Al. Want me to talk to her?"
"Nah, you know what she's like." Alex sighed in defeat and Leo had to admit, he hated seeing Alex like this. "Going to the lake house soon, gonna get drunk on shiner and forget all this shit." With that Alex, gave him a nod and left.
The kids left for the lake house and Leo wasn't surprised when Oscar called him on their first night there. Late at night. He had taken the call in his office, not wanting his wife to overhear or wake up. The call was brief, but informative. Oscar had been furious with Ellen; amused at Alex's subtle declaration and told Leo he was relieved that Leo had been a good friend and offered to stand up for his son to his ex-wife. Leo had made Oscar promise to cheer Alex up and Oscar reminded Leo that Alex and Henry were in a world of bliss.
But two days later, it had been in the form of text from Oscar that had set Leo on edge. '911 - A&H over?' Leo had called Oscar, but he didn't have any other information and Henry's friend Pez hadn't left with him. The only additional thing they had learnt, and it had been through June, was that Henry was ignoring Alex's calls and text messages. A note had been left, but reading it, it didn't seem true.
It was a much more depressive Alex that returned to the White House, than the one that left. June tried, Nora tried, Ellen tried, even Zahra tried with her tough love approach. Nothing worked. Leo suggested they leave him be. He remembered being in his early 20s, and how it felt when his first real adult relationship ended. He had been heartbroken, and he didn't exactly know of the particulars of the relationship, but he had seen all of the signs. Alex was in love with Henry. Now, he had lost his love and his job, all the pursuit of his happiness. Of course, he had wanted to be left alone.
Everyone backed off, but June stayed close enough to keep an eye on him. At first. They all watch closely, but not to close, as Alex tried to hold himself together. The first day, they count five text messages he sends Henry, with no reply. The second day, he only sends two. By the third day, the heartbroken feeling is replaced with despondence, as Leo is the lone witness to Alex's spiral into obsessively reading the press coverage of the campaign. With no work to distract him, what else is he supposed to do?
Leo tried to reach out, but Alex didn't seem to ready to talk. There wasn't anything anyone could do, as Alex spiraled further into his own grief on Tuesday night. They knew where he was, and no one could stop him as he hid out on the roof of the Residence. He was furiously pacing with so many laps that the skin on the back of his heels had split open and blood had soaked into his loafers.
But only Leo knew that last part, he had found Alex in his bathroom trying to cover the split open skin with Band-Aids when he had come to try to lure Alex to the dinner table to eat. But the smell of Earl Grey tea wafted up from the kitchen and Alex's throat, tightened. He couldn't keep anything down that night.
By day five, Rafael Luna was all over the media, on the campaign for Richards and Alex had a moment of impasse; either destroy something or himself. He opted for his phone. He smashed it on the pavement outside the capitol building. By the end of the day, with the screen replaced, and no new messages magically appearing, he flopped onto the bed and curled in on himself.
On the morning of day seven, while June is away with Nora and Ellen is somewhere doing something, Leo is the lone witness to the noise of boxes being moved around in Alex's room. A lone, loud cry of anguish is heard from behind Alex's bedroom door and it's all Leo can take. He looks up to the ceiling, hoping and praying that Alex can start to heal, or at least get some answers. His prayer is interrupted by the footfalls of Cash, one of their favourite Secret Services agents.
"Alex." Cash's voice booms through the door. Leo went into the hallway to check it out. Cash has a small suit bag over his shoulder, backpack on his back and a tray with two coffees in hand.
Suddenly, Alex appears. His travel duffle slung over his shoulder and his travel backpack hanging off the crook of his elbow. He is more put together than he has been all week. Sure, his eyes are red and dry, slightly puffy. Evident of having shed a fair number of tears. His lips are firmed into an unhappy, almost scowl. "Thanks, Cash." He said, taking the coffee from Cash.
Alex never noticed Leo standing in his office doorway, watching him. Alex didn't see the look of realisation on Leo's face. Leo knew he was headed to London.
Leo paced in his study. No one knows that Alex had left, except for him. At least, he was hoping Alex got some answers. At best, he hoped Alex got his man back. But only time would tell.
June was back from her stay at Nora's, with Nora in tow. Leo was unsure if he should share with the rest of the family what had transpired earlier. How Alex had jetted off to London.
That decision was made for him, when Zahra came bursting into the Residence, later that night, cursing Alex, loudly. It seemed that Alex had had the foresight to loop Zahra in, but only when he and Cash were on the runway, at Dulles, awaiting take-off. As soon as Zahra's words registered in everyone else's ears, everyone was pulling out their cells. Calls went unanswered. Flurries of text messages were sent and unanswered.
Leo didn't bother, he knew Alex wouldn't reach out, until he was ready. He had gone to London for answers, he wouldn't reply until he had them. His wife's voicemail was the most amusing to him. Her words sounded harsh, as did her tone, but her eyes betrayed her, full of love and support. "Diaz, you insane, hopeless little shit," she says. "It had better be forever. Be safe."
When Alex returns, it's all smiles. He's back to either constantly checking his phone, or typing furiously into it, hiding the screen so no one can sneak a glimpse at his words. The haunted, heartbroken look long gone now and replaced with the lovesick grin from before their trip out to the lake.
It's at the preparation meeting for the Pittsburgh rally that Zahra appears after the weekend off, with a diamond ring on her left hand. Alex, of course, has too many questions, but she cut him off with a sharp quip. "You don't get to say shit about to me about secret relationships in and around this campaign, princess."
Alex gives her one of his wide, shit-eating grins, as he concedes the point.
Leo really didn't have to be sitting in on this meeting, but it was taking place in the residence kitchen while June and Alex were having breakfast and Leo was making coffee. When Zahra's voice stuttered and broke off mid-sentence, Leo knew something was wrong.
"What...?" Alex asked, before his own dinged. Panic was written all over his face. "Oh, shit."
Zahra looks murderous and moves towards Alex, as Leo shifted, wanting to be closer in case she actually followed through with her threat. "Can you explain to me why this one day of our lives won't stop haunting me?"
"I don't know," Alex says miserably. "I can't believe this is the one that's—I mean, we've done riskier things than this—"
"That's supposed to make me feel better how?"
"I just mean, like, who is leaking fucking elevator tapes? Who's checking for that? It's not like Solange was in there—"
A chirp from June's phone interrupts him, and she swears when she looks at it. "Jesus, that Post reporter just texted to ask for a comment on the speculation surrounding your relationship with Henry and whether it— whether it has to do with you leaving the campaign after the DNC." She looks between Alex and Zahra, eyes wide. "This is really bad, isn't it?"
"It ain't great," Zahra says. She's got her nose buried in her phone, furiously typing out what are probably very strongly worded emails to the press team. "What we need is a fucking diversion. We have to—to send you on a date or something."
"What if we—" June attempts.
"Or, fuck, send him on a date," Zahra says. "Send you both on dates."
"I could—" June tries again. "Who the fuck do I call? What girl is gonna want to wade into this shitstorm to fake date either of you at this point?" Zahra grinds the heels of both hands against her eyes. "Jesus, be a gay beard."
"I have an idea!" June finally half shouts. When they both look at her, she's biting her lip, looking at Alex. "But I don't know if you're gonna like it." She turns her phone around to show them the screen. It's a photo he recognizes as one of the ones they took for Pez in Texas, June and Henry lounging on the dock together. She's cropped Nora out so it's just the two of them, Henry sporting a wide, teasing grin under his sunglasses and June planting a kiss on his cheek. "I was on that floor too," she says. "We don't have to, like, confirm or deny anything. But we can imply something. Just to take the heat off." Alex swallows.
He's always known June was one inch from taking a bullet for him, but this? He would never ask her to do this.
But the thing is … it would work. Their social media friendship is well documented, even if half of it is GIFs of Colin Firth. Out of context, the photo looks as couple-y as anything, like a nice, gorgeous, heterosexual couple on vacation together. He looks over to Zahra. "It's not a bad idea," Zahra says. "We'd have to get Henry on board. Can you do that?"
Alex releases a breath. He absolutely doesn't want this, but he's also not sure what other choice he has. "Um. Yeah, I. Yeah, I think so."
June's idea to protect Alex makes Leo's heart soar. He is so proud of both of the kids, he could burst. The look of disinclination on Alex's face and the worry lines are back.
Leo says nothing. No one has spoken to him or asked his opinion. He manages to catch Alex's gaze and hold it, but neither man knows how to verbalise their thoughts.
Leo knew Alex's anxiety was at all-time high, at self-destruction level. His list making distraction tactic didn't seem to be working and Leo was at a loss of how to help. He thought about placing a call to Alex's old therapist in Austin, but it was too risky. Even with an ironclad NDA.
He was thankful Alex wasn't in California, with Oscar. If he was there, he'd be driving that jeep, way too fast down the 101, doors off and moments away from being splattered on the pavement.
In Texas, Alex would have stolen a bottle of Maker's from the liquor cabinet and get wasted with his lacrosse buddies, before crashing at Liam's. Now knowing about Alex's sexuality, Leo didn't ponder what had really happened between Alex and Liam on those nights he'd said, "staying at Liam's." and left the house.
However, with no work to distract Alex, he goes on long punishing runs and studies files from Oscar's offices. Seeing Alex return from his trip to the capitol building when he returned did not settle any worries Leo had about Alex. It only increased them. Especially when Alex's return was met with an unanswered call to Henry and a dive into his secret stash of whiskey.
Leo leaves him be. Determined to talk to him in the morning.
That doesn't happen. Leo and Ellen are woken up in the middle of the night by Zahra, screaming into the phone. The two of them struggle to make sense of what has Zahra so riled up at 2.30 in the morning. Ellen's swearing, as she throws on whatever clothes she can find and the only words that Leo can make out is "Henry", "Alex", "outed" and "Shitshow".
Leo knew he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep now. He headed to find some coffee. Zahra's angry entrance into the Residence startled Leo and he was thankful June was sleeping through the drama or June might just murder Zahra.
June, her hair in a haphazard knot on the top of her head and in a pink bathrobe, her eyes red-rimmed. His mom, in a sharp, no-nonsense black dress and pointed heels, jaw set. Leo, barefoot in his pajamas. And his dad, a leather duffel still hanging off one shoulder, looking harried and exhausted. Despite being on lockdown, the Secret Service had let him in.
They all turn to look at him, and Alex feels a wave of something so much bigger than himself sweep over him, like when he was a child standing bowlegged in the Gulf of Mexico, riptide sucking at his feet. A sound escapes his throat uninvited, something that he barely even recognizes, and June has him first, then the rest of them, arms and arms and hands and hands, pulling him close and touching his face and moving him until he's on the floor, the goddamn terrible hideous antique rug that he hates, sitting on the floor and staring at the rug and the threads of the rug and hearing the Gulf rushing in his ears and thinking distantly that he's having a panic attack, and that's why he can't breathe, but he's just staring at the rug and he's having a panic attack and knowing why his lungs won't work doesn't make them work again.
Alex is faintly aware of being shifted into his room, to his bed, which is still covered in the godforsaken fucking newspapers, and someone guides him onto it, and he sits down and tries very, very hard to make a list in his head.
One.
One.
One.
He sleeps in fits and starts, wakes up sweating, wakes up shivering. He dreams in short, fractured scenes that swell and fade erratically. He dreams of himself at war, in a muddy trench, love letter soaking red in his chest pocket. He dreams of a house in Travis County, doors locked, unwilling to let him in again. He dreams of a crown.
He dreams once, briefly, of the lake house, an orange beacon under the moon. He sees himself there, standing in water up to his neck. He sees Henry, sitting naked on the pier. He sees June and Nora, hands clasped together, and Pez on the grass between them, and Bea, digging pink fingertips into the wet soil.
In the trees next to them, he hears the snap, snap, snap of branches. "Look," Henry says, pointing up at the stars.
And Alex tries to say, Don't you hear it? Tries to say, Something's coming. He opens his mouth: a spill of fireflies, and nothing.
When he opens his eyes, June is sitting up against the pillows next to him, bitten nails pressed against her bottom lip, still in her bathrobe and keeping watch. She reaches down and squeezes his hand. He squeezes back.
Between dreams he catches the sound of muffled voices in the hallway.
"Nothing," Zahra's voice is saying. "Not a thing. Nobody is taking our calls."
"How can they not be taking our calls? I'm the goddamn president."
"Permission to do a thing, ma'am, slightly outside diplomatic protocol."
Leo gently padded into Alex's room, where June had curled around Alex, in full protective mode. He placed a cup of tea on the nightstand for June and a coffee for Alex, when he wakes up. "Take his phone, sweetpea." Leo whispered to him, kissing June's forehead. "He doesn't need to see the coverage, it'll only make him worse."
June doesn't argue.
June takes his phone away and shoves it under a couch cushion. Alex doesn't bother protesting. Henry's not going to call.
At one in the afternoon, for the second time in twelve hours, Zahra bursts through his bedroom door. "Pack a bag," she says. "We're going to London."
June helps him stuff a backpack with jeans and a pair of shoes and a broken-in copy of Prisoner of Azkaban, and he stumbles into a clean shirt and out of his room. Zahra is waiting in the hall with her own bag and a freshly pressed suit of Alex's, a sensible navy one that she has apparently decided is appropriate for meeting the queen.
She's told him very little, except that Buckingham Palace has shut down communication channels in and out, and they're just going to show up and demand a meeting. She seems confident Shaan will agree to it and willing to physically overpower him if not.
The feeling rolling around in his gut is bizarre. His mom has signed off on them going public with the truth, which is incredible, but there's no reason to expect that from the crown. He could get marching orders to deny everything. He thinks he might grab Henry and run if it comes down to that.
He's almost completely sure Henry wouldn't go along with pretending it was all fake. He trusts Henry, and he believes in him.
But they were also supposed to have more time.
There's a secluded side entrance of the Residence that Alex can sneak out of without being seen, and Leo, June and his parents meet him there. "I know this is scary," his mom says, "but you can handle it."
"Give 'em hell," his dad adds.
"Go get 'em." Leo grins.
June hugs him, and he shoves on his sunglasses and a hat and jogs out the door and toward whatever way this is all going to end.
Oscar, Leo and June sit with Ellen in the living room of the Residence the following late afternoon. Zahra must be typing at the speed of light. The updates from Alex's meeting with the Queen, are coming in fast and thick. They're all sitting on the floor, Ellen's tablet lying flat on the coffee table between the four of them. So, they can all read them as soon as they appear.
"Henry's mom is here and on our side." Ellen and Oscar's raised her eyebrows in surprise. It was well known that Princess Catherine had been absent, still grieving the loss of her husband. June gasped. Bea had confided in her about how her mom's disappearance had hurt and impacted Henry, almost as much as their father's death.
"Queen implies we fabricated these emails to further our campaign." Growls and mutters, uttering of nasty names is said, but nothing else.
"Henry refused to blame us when ordered by Queen." Tight smiles are exchanged between the four of them.
"Henry protected Alex from Queen's demands."
"Queen lecturing Henry on sexuality."
"Queen ordered Henry to end relationship with Alex.".
"Henry barely holding on, angry." Surprisingly, June is palpable with anger. While Oscar looks like he wants to storm the castle. He has NEVER been a fan of the Queen, especially now.
"Catherine arguing with Queen."
"Beatrice fighting for the boys too." June grins widely and fist pumps the air.
"Queen suggested Henry marry so they don't think he's a pedophile." Ellen's fist tightens. Leo shakes his head in disgust and Oscar's anger increases. June fires a text to Henry, knowing he will see it afterwards. Wanting Henry to know she is on his side.
"Henry's fighting back. Fighting for Alex." More cheers, this time vocal.
"He's scared, but not backing down. Go Henry."
"Philip on Queen's side. Henry admits sexuality straight to homophobic brother's face." June facepalms her head. With the stories that Pez and the Royal siblings have told her, she isn't surprised.
"Queen demands Henry do duty and marry." More anger.
"Alex looks like he's going to snap. Henry trying to keep him calm."
"Alex snapped." Oscar fist pumps the air in celebration and an "'atta boy" is uttered by Leo.
"Queen laid down the law."
"Catherine fighting back now."
"Beatrice snatched Shaan's tablet."
"Turn BBC on, NOW."
June, the closest to the remote scrambled for it and switched it the BBC. They had broken from a news special on the email scandal, or what they were calling "The Waterloo Letters" in reference one particular email where Henry describes his feeling and referenced the waterloo vase in it. Suddenly, there is live coverage of the crowd outside Buckingham Palace. Down on the mall in front of Buckingham Palace, there's a mass of people with banners, signs, American flags, Union Jacks, pride pennants streaming over their heads. It's not as big as the royal wedding crowd, but it's huge, filling up the pavement and pressed up to the gates. Thousands of people.
The scroll on the bottom of the screen reads: WORLDWIDE SUPPORT POURS IN FOR PRINCE HENRY AND FIRST SON OF US.
Then they shift to a rally in New York outside the Beekman, decked out in rainbows, with waving signs that say things like: FIRST SON OF OUR HEARTS.
A banner on the side of a bridge in Paris that reads: HENRY + ALEX WERE HERE.
A hasty mural on a wall in Mexico City of Alex's face in blue, purple, and pink, a crown on his head.
A herd of people in Hyde Park with rainbow Union Jacks and Henry's face ripped out of magazines and pasted onto poster boards reading: FREE HENRY.
A young woman with a buzz cut throwing two fingers up at the windows of the Daily Mail.
A crowd of teenagers in front of the White House, wearing homemade T-shirts that all say the same thing in crooked Sharpie letters, a phrase he recognizes from one of his own emails: HISTORY, HUH?
Leo thinks his heart might explode with happiness. June and Ellen are openly sobbing in happy tears and Oscar has tear filled eyes, swearing expletives of happiness, grabbing the three of them and hugging them tight. The pride and love he has for his son bursting out of his chest too.
They're all so excited they nearly miss the next round of hurried updates from Zahra.
"Catherine protecting Henry and Alex from Queen's demands."
"Henry overwhelmed with support outside."
"Catherine defies Queen."
Leo leans over and sends Zahra a one-word reply in caps. "ALEX?"
"Taking it all in."
"Catherine threatened Queen."
"Go Beatrice. Just spilled tea in Philip's lap."
"Catherine apologised to Henry."
There's suspense is in the air. They can feel it from their side of the Atlantic, too.
"They won."
Cheers of happiness fill the room once more. June's phone pings, a Twitter notification from Alex. He posted a picture of a mural of himself and Henry, facing each other, haloed by a bright yellow sun, depicted as Han and Leia. Henry in all white, starlight in his hair. Alex dressed as a scruffy smuggler, a blaster at his hip. A royal and a rebel, arms around each other. Never tell me the odds. He captioned it.
When Alex returns and the car door opens, it's Leo and June, standing there. June is in a bright yellow T-shirt that says: HISTORY, HUH? "You like it?" she says. "There's a guy selling them down the block. I got his card. Gonna put it in my next column for Vogue." Alex launches himself at her, engulfing her in a hug that lifts her feet off the ground, and she yelps and pulls his hair, and they topple sideways into a shrub, as Alex was always destined to do.
As Leo pulled them both from the shrub, he released June back from Alex. Leo tugged him into him and hugged Alex tight. "I'm so fucking proud of you." He whispered into Alex's ear.
Hysterical laughter bubbled up inside Alex and escaped, reminding him of the night he confided in Leo about his LSAT score. It will never stop being amusing to Alex when Leo swears.
Leo had noticed Nora's disappearance. He's worried and he can tell when Ellen summoned the three of them into the Oval Office that June and Alex are worried too. Suddenly there is a flurry of activity and before it calms down, they have answers.
Jeffery Richards and the RNC outed Alex and Henry to destroy Ellen's campaign.
Nora has a whole server of evidence.
Zahra and Ellen immediately begin brainstorming. June interjects when needed. Nora's buzzing, high on caffeine. Nine Red Bulls to get through all of those and ate a weed gummy to level back out.
There's highlighters and red pens galore, before folders are dispersed. Zahra thrusts one at Leo and suddenly orders are being barked around the room by Zahra. Her orders are laced with anger, but not at them. At Richards and the RNC.
Alex solved the cipher of the mystery sender's signature.
Rafael Luna. A hail Mary pass. Redemption.
Rafael Luna is perhaps the unlikeliest hero of the 2020 presidential race.
June's writing a speech and Henry is being flown in. Leo lingers close by, contributing when asked. Staying silent and supportive of Alex, catching his eye when Alex needs the extra shove. Leo grins when he sees Marine One touching down in a cacophony of noise and wind and rotors, and Henry emerging in head-to-toe Burberry looking dramatic and windswept, like a dashing hero here to rip bodices and mend war-torn countries, and Alex has to laugh, loudly.
The grin of happiness on Alex's face is a look that Leo is sure will stay with him, even many years later on his deathbed. It warms him inside. Nothing can top it.
Then he catches Alex, as he reaches for Henry in return. He presses one thumb into the hollow of his collarbone, slipping right under the knot of his tie. The tie is purple silk, and Alex is counting his breaths.
"You are," he says, "the absolute worst idea I've ever had."
Henry's mouth spreads into a slow smile, and Alex kisses it.
Leo has to leave. The speech is going out live and he wants to catch it upstairs. Alone. He knows by the end of it, it'll be best if he is alone. The grip on his own feelings is teetering and if he is going to cry tears of pride and happiness, he'd prefer to have no witnesses.
Alex's words written by June, soak into Leo's ears, settling in his mind.
"Good morning.
I am, and have been—first, last, and always—a child of America.
You raised me. I grew up in the pastures and hills of Texas, but I had been to thirty-four states before I learned how to drive. When I caught the stomach flu in the fifth grade, my mother sent a note to school written on the back of a holiday memo from Vice President Biden. Sorry, sir—we were in a rush, and it was the only paper she had on hand. I spoke to you for the first time when I was eighteen, on the stage of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, when I introduced my mother as the nominee for president. You cheered for me. I was young and full of hope, and you let me embody the American dream: that a boy who grew up speaking two languages, whose family was blended and beautiful and enduring, could make a home for himself in the White House.
You pinned the flag to my lapel and said, "We're rooting for you." As I stand before you today, my hope is that I have not let you down.
Years ago, I met a prince. And though I didn't realize it at the time, his country had raised him too.
The truth is, Henry and I have been together since the beginning of this year. The truth is, as many of you have read, we have both struggled every day with what this means for our families, our countries, and our futures. The truth is, we have both had to make compromises that cost us sleep at night in order to afford us enough time to share our relationship with the world on our own terms.
We were not afforded that liberty.
But the truth is, also, simply this: love is indomitable. America has always believed this. And so, I am not ashamed to stand here today where presidents have stood and say that I love him, the same as Jack loved Jackie, the same as Lyndon loved Lady Bird. Every person who bears a legacy makes the choice of a partner with whom they will share it, whom the American people will hold beside them in hearts and memories and history books. America: He is my choice.
Like countless other Americans, I was afraid to say this out loud because of what the consequences might be. To you, specifically, I say: I see you. I am one of you. As long as I have a place in this White House, so will you. I am the First Son of the United States, and I'm bisexual. History will remember us.
If I can ask only one thing of the American people, it's this: Please, do not let my actions influence your decision in November. The decision you will make this year is so much bigger than anything I could ever say or do, and it will determine the fate of this country for years to come. My mother, your president, is the warrior and the champion that each and every American deserves for four more years of growth, progress, and prosperity. Please, don't let my actions send us backward. I ask the media not to focus on me or on Henry, but on the campaign, on policy, on the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans at stake in this election.
And finally, I hope America will remember that I am still the son you raised. My blood still runs from Lometa, Texas, and San Diego, California, and Mexico City. I still remember the sound of your voices from that stage in Philadelphia. I wake up every morning thinking of your hometowns, of the families I've met at rallies in Idaho and Oregon and South Carolina. I have never hoped to be anything other than what I was to you then, and what I am to you now—the First Son, yours in actions and words. And I hope when Inauguration Day comes again in January, I will continue to be."
The first twenty-four hours after the speech are a blur, but a few snapshots will stay with him for the rest of his life.
A picture: the morning after, a new crowd gathered on the Mall, the biggest yet.
They all stay in the Residence for safety, but Alex and Henry and June and Nora and all three of Alex's parents sit in the living room on the second floor and watch the live stream on CNN. In the middle of the broadcast: Amy at the front of the cheering crowd wearing June's yellow HISTORY, HUH? T-shirt and a trans flag pin. Next to her: Cash, with Amy's wife on his shoulders in what Alex can now tell is the jean jacket Amy was embroidering on the plane in the colors of the pansexual flag. He whoops so hard he spills his coffee on George Bush's favorite rug.
A picture: Senator Jeffrey Richards's stupid Sam the Eagle face on CNN, talking about his grave concern for President Claremont's ability to remain impartial on matters of traditional family values due to the acts her son engages in on the sacred grounds of the house our forefathers built.
Followed by: Senator Oscar Diaz, responding via satellite, that President Claremont's primary value is upholding the Constitution, and that the White House was built by slaves, not our forefathers. They didn't want the media to know that Oscar Diaz was at the White House with them. So, they responded by Satellite from his office on Capitol Hill, under the veil of absolute secrecy.
Alex gave Leo a nod, trusting him to care for Henry in his absence while he had gone with Oscar to the capitol, hoping to catch Raf. Alex needed answers from him too and everyone else understood that too.
This gave Leo time alone with Henry. Something he hadn't really had before. They were barely acquaintances, practically strangers. Leo didn't give Henry the talk or make empty threats. He simply offered his friendship to the young prince, letting Henry befriend him on his own terms. Much like he had when he had met a young Alex and June.
Henry spent two nights with them, slowly getting to know Oscar, Leo and Ellen on a personal level. As well as Zahra, on a much less intense level. Henry had slept in his assigned room, telling them "Because I respect your mother, too much" as if every person who had a hand in raising Alex has not read in graphic detail the things they get up to when they share a bed. Alex has no such hang-ups and enjoyed Henry's half-hearted grumblings when he snuck in from the East Bedroom right down the hall.
The day Henry returned to London, was the day Alex went back on the campaign trail.
But only four weeks later, Ellen, Leo and June wave Alex goodbye as he jetted off to London with Cash and Amy in tow. He will only be there for thirty-six hours. Long enough to see Henry, have their courtship photos taken and catch up briefly with Her Royal Highnesses Princess Catherine and Princess Beatrice.
Suddenly, Alex is back and back on the campaign. Leo, June, Alex and Nora, all working on their specific tasks that Zahra had organised for them. There's no time for Leo to catch Alex and check in with him. He makes a mental note to catch Alex before election night.
Leo doesn't know or realise Alex spirals over approval ratings. It's not until after June announces her book deal, that Leo sees it. But Nora had already yanked him back from the proverbial edge.
Election morning rolls around and Alex can't sleep in. He is too amped up on his own nerves. Nor can Leo. They met in the kitchen and Alex placed a cup of hot coffee in front of Leo, startling him. As Alex took a seat beside Leo, he playfully nudged him. "NYU." He whispered, seeing if Leo heard him.
"NYU." Leo grins back at him and pulls him into a half hug.
Election day goes as predicted, the four of them cast their votes. All caught on camera and all smiles. Alex's smile is full of the knowledge that by the time the polls close, Henry will be beside him for support once more.
Leo vowed to himself to keep an eye on Alex, as he stuck to his wife's side for support. Oscar stood proudly on the other side of Ellen, keeping his support obvious for his ex-wife. Every time he looked over at Alex, he smiled. June and Nora hadn't left his side.
When it's time for Alex to deliver a speech, to rev up the crowd, Alex is a ball of nerves. What's worse is, Henry's flight is delayed and Alex is worried about Henry not making it in time. But Henry makes it, just in time to see Alex in all his glory, revving the crowd up and encouraging them.
The relief is evident when Alex comes off stage and Henry is pulling Alex into his arms and into a kiss. The look of love fills Alex's face and Leo smiles as he gets to witness Alex fall in love with Henry all over again. Henry takes Alex's face in his hands and kissed him, again. Hard, Deep and with purpose.
Leo loses track of Alex and Henry, as he is pulled away by the English accent of the dark-skinned man with Zahra. Zahra is suddenly introducing him to the man. Shaan Srivastava and Leo learns he is Henry's Equerry.
Looking up again, Leo spies Alex with Henry, talking to Liam and a man he doesn't recognise who is clearly Liam's boyfriend. June's tugging Alex and Henry away, off to the VIP section. Florida is called - Richards and the mood shifts.
It's tense. Alex is explaining an American election to Henry. June's demanding odds from Nora. As soon as Nora's explain the odds, Anderson Cooper is calling Nevada - Richards.
Zahra's screaming a voicemail into her phone to someone about a daycare.
Oscar is sweating bullets.
Rafael Luna is pacing.
Ellen is tense and currently upstairs, stalking like a hungry lioness. Leo idly watching on, being unobtrusive, yet supportive.
Henry's trying to distract Alex and it's not working.
Suddenly, June is back with her college roommate who has been working at a polling booth all day. Ellen's rushing down, followed by Leo as the rest of them swarm June and Molly, her old roommate. "We think you have the votes."
Ellen's grabbing Molly's arm in disbelief, repeating her. Asking it a question.
It's on the projection screen now. They're calling it. Anderson Cooper, you handsome bastard.
Texas is gray for five more seconds, before flooding beautiful, beautiful, unmistakable Lake LBJ blue. Thirty-eight votes for Claremont, for a grand total of 301. And the presidency.
"Four more years!" Alex's mom outright screams, louder than he's heard her scream in years. The cheers come in a hum, in a rumble, and finally, in a storm, pressing from the other side of the partition, from the hills surrounding the arena and the city surrounding the streets, from the country itself. From, maybe, a few sleepy allies in London.
From Ellen's side, Leo sees Henry, whose eyes are wet, as he seizes Alex's face roughly in both hands and kisses him like the end of the movie, whoops, and shoves him towards his family in happiness.
The nets are cut loose from the ceiling, and down come the balloons, and Alex staggers into a press of bodies and his father's chest, a delirious hug, into June, who is a crying disaster, and Leo, who is somehow crying more. Nora is sandwiched between both beaming, proud parents, screaming at the top of her lungs, and Luna is throwing Claremont campaign pamphlets in the air like a mafioso with hundred-dollar bills. He sees Cash, severely testing the weight limits of the venue's chairs by dancing on one, and Amy, waving around her phone so her wife can see it all over FaceTime, and Zahra and Shaan, aggressively making out against a giant stack of CLAREMONT/HOLLERAN 2020 yard signs.
The crowd pushes him back into Henry's chest, and after absolutely everything, all the emails and texts and months on the road and secret rendezvous and nights of wanting, the whole accidentally-falling-in-love with-your-sworn-enemy-at-the-absolute-worst-possible-time thing, they made it. Alex said they would—he promised. Henry's smiling so wide and bright that Alex thinks his heart's going to break trying to hold the size of this entire moment, the completeness of it, a thousand years of history swelling inside his rib cage.
"Okay, people," says Zahra's voice through the rush of blood and love and adrenaline and noise in his ears. Her mascara is streaming, her lipstick smeared across her chin. Beside her, he can hear his mother on the phone with one finger jammed into her ear, taking Richards's concession call. "Victory speech in fifteen. Places, let's go!"
Alex finds himself shuffled sideways, through the crowd and over to a little corral near the stage, behind the curtains, and then his mothers on stage, and Leo, and Mike and his wife, and Nora and her parents and June and their dad. Alex strides out after them, waving into the white glow of the spotlight, shouting a jumble of languages into the noise. He's so caught up that he doesn't realize at first Henry isn't at his side, and he turns back to see him hovering in the wings, just behind a curtain. Always hesitant to step on anyone's moment.
That's not going to fly anymore. He's family. He's part of it all now, headlines and oil paintings and pages in the Library of Congress, etched right alongside. And he's part of them. Goddamn forever.
"Come on!" Alex yells, waving him over, and Henry spares a second to look panicked before he's tipping his chin up and buttoning his suit jacket and stepping out onto the stage. He gravitates to Alex's side, beaming. Alex throws one arm around him and the other around June. Nora presses in at June's other side.
And President Ellen Claremont steps up to the podium.
After the second round of confetti is still falling when Alex grabs Henry by the hand and says, "Follow me." Everyone, but Leo is too busy celebrating or doing interviews to see them slip out the back door.
Leo nods at Cash and Amy to discreetly follow the boys. He isn't going to stop them. They need this.
THEY WON!