Oscar 3

The movie had long finished, and Alex took one ear bud out of his ear, and he could hear the quiet discussion still lingering in the air between his father and Henry. Shoving the earbud back in his ear, he started the next movie. The movie they were originally going to watch and settled back into the sofa.

Alex was relieved in the knowledge that whatever had been plaguing Henry since he had come home that day, he was talking to someone about it. Even if it wasn't him. While the movie played, Alex typed a quick message to Bea. He was sure that he hadn't missed any anniversary of importance, but he needed to double check. He had this feeling that somehow, he had screwed up.

In his relationship with Henry, right from the very beginning, he had always tried to do right by Henry. Even to the point when Nora would suggest they mess with the press, he would decline. Long before anyone knew about their relationship. Long before anything physical had even happened between them. Even when their physical relationship had started and he had been on the campaign trail, there had been opportunities to seek other people out. Despite their claim of casualness, Alex couldn't do it and wouldn't. No one stirred him quite like Henry did. No one got under his skin and made his body shiver and tingle at the mere thought of them, quite like Henry did. He couldn't even remember if Nora had ever made him feel like that at the height of their relationship. That was how fast and how hard Alex had fallen for Henry.

Despite his mild bi panic, the one where he had confided in Nora, he had known from a second after Henry's lips touched his, that Henry was the one for him. Even when they were making out and grinding against each other in the red room. Alex couldn't do casual, he liked to think he could, but he never could. That was why he had been truly heartbroken when Henry had left him that weekend at the lake.

It had been somewhere between Paris and LA, that Alex had realised how deep his love for Henry really was. He'd tried shoving it down and acting casual, but it had taken until Zahra finding them in the hotel room together in Brooklyn to realise that they were both in too deep. That was why he had hurt so much after the weekend at the lake house.

After they had hashed it out at Kensington Palace, made love in Henry's bed, danced at the V and A and made love again and again. After they'd confessed their feelings for one another, Alex had forgiven Henry. He had even seen the situation from Henry's point of view. He'd understood Henry better in that moment and had forgiven Henry for his actions.

"Did you know? I actually met him, a few times." Oscar said softly, breaking the silence that had enveloped the two of them. "A long time ago. The first time, was at a fundraiser in LA. I was volunteering for a charity, raising money for Aids research and he had generously donated both to the cause and his time to help schmooze some new investors. He was vibrant and lively. The second time was at an opening for the literacy program in California. I remember that he loved a good joke, a good gag. That third night, was back at the Aids charity. That night we talked about children. He said you were a blessing. Your Ma had not long had you and I had mentioned June and how we were expecting Alex, but I was undecided on if I was really ready for another one. He said he too, was unsure at first, but while having Philip and Beatrice had been a joy, having you had been his blessing. He loved you all equally, but there was something about the way he spoke about you ..."

"He favoured me. We shared a special bond." Henry chuckled softly at the memory of his mother trying to explain it to him, in light of his father's diagnosis. "Bea was always his princess, he doted on her and rightfully so. She was the only girl and his only daughter. Pip was always under gran's thumb and that was how Pip preferred it. Pip, he favours the Mountchristen-Windsor side of the family, both in looks and personality. But Mum and Dad said, I have always favoured the Fox side of the family. My Granny Fox used to say I was my father's twin. It was a long running joke between us, Bea and I, that I was the favourite because I was the youngest and the most like Dad."

"He was a good man, Henry." Oscar declared, patting his shoulder. "Like the rest of the world, I know where I was the day the news broke of his death. You're just like him too, a good man."

Henry let out a small, watery chuckle. "It's funny how life turns out."

"Yes, indeed." Oscar laughed too. "I wonder if Arthur ever realised our three conversations, although inconsequential at the time, would have a bigger impact, years later. Or that later on in life, you and Alex would find one another? I believe that Alex coming into your life, the brightest spark at your darkest time, that was your omen from your father. His way of accepting you. Being proud of the man you have become. Alex was your divine intervention, Henry."

Henry almost couldn't help the tears that were forming in his eyes at Oscar's words. He was choked up and it hurt. "I ... I didn't know you ..."

Oscar could see that Henry was struggling not to crumble under both the new information that Oscar had told him and the weight of his own grief. Whatever had triggered it today, had done a number on him. "Come here, Mijo." Oscar urged him and hugged Henry tight, like a father would. Like he hugged Alex when he was hurt or upset. Oscar privately suspected that Henry probably hadn't been hugged in a very long time by anyone who wasn't Alex, June, Nora, his sister or that friend of his June and Nora liked. Maybe even since Arthur had died. Oscar rubbed Henry's back in soothing circles, letting Henry get it all out. Pulling back, he looked Henry over. His tears had stopped falling and his mask had slipped back in place. "Now, do you want to talk about what happened at work today?"

"Thanks, but I am ok." Henry smiled. His smile was forced, and Oscar knew that. Between his red rimmed eyes and puffy cheeks and splotchy skin, he set his jaw firmly. "I am actually all tired out. I'm going to head on up to bed. Good night, Oscar."

"Night, Henry." Oscar smiled, as Henry patted his shoulder on the way out of the room. Looking over at his son, he realised that the second film must have finished at some point and Alex had taken himself off to bed, without saying good night.

Henry quietly let himself inside their bedroom, seeing Alex was already showered and in bed. He had noticed that Alex had left the living room some time ago. He tiptoed in, heading into the ensuite bathroom and closing the door behind him, before fumbling for the light switch. Looking up, he looked at himself in the mirror. Talking with Oscar had made his head feel lighter, but as he scrutinised himself in the mirror, he realised his heart felt heavier.

They had excluded Alex and left him to his own devices, while the two of them spoke. What was worse was that he had promised Alex to take the day off work that day, so they were both there when Oscar arrived. But Pez had an emergency meeting he could not get out of and when he'd asked Henry to cover for him, he had stepped in, not remembering his promise to Alex.

Alex had been excited for his father's trip to Brooklyn. They didn't get to see one another very often. Oscar lived in California and Alex lived in New York. They only headed out to the Lake House in Texas twice a year, once in the summer and once for the Labor Day weekend. Henry felt guilty that since he and Alex had gotten together his boyfriend had sacrificed his July 4th weekend at the lake with his father, for a trip to Kensington Palace, so that Henry could attend his brother's birthday. That it was another time he would usually spend with his father.

Shaking his head, he quickly begun his nighttime routine, before getting changed and climbing into bed beside Alex. He always took additional care not to wake Alex when he was the last one in bed. Alex must have already taken David out before they came upstairs because David was asleep in his dog bed, in the corner of the bedroom.

Alex rolled over and peeked one eye open at him. "Hen, are you ok Baby?" He asked through his slitted eyes and fluttering eyelashes, as Alex fought off his sleep. "What happened? Did talking to Dad help?"

Sitting up, Alex rubbed the grit that had been forming in his eyes free from them and took in Henry's tense posture. "Oscar thought I didn't want him here." Henry sighed and let himself think of how that had felt. Holding the tight rein on the tears he refused to let fall, Henry continued. "It made me think about how my father would never see me here. In this life, smiling and happy. Our life together. He would never come and stay with us, and I let it consume me."

"It's ok." Alex reassured him, taking Henry into his arms. "Baby, he doesn't have to come stay to know how happy you are. He can see it on your face, every single day. He is your angel, Hen."

"I'm sorry, Alex." Henry apologised. "I forgot all about Oscar coming into town, when I said yes to Pez. Between the storm and Oscar's delayed flight, I wasn't thinking."

"Baby, it's fine." Alex reassured him once more. Alex knew that it had slipped his mind and truly, he was ok with it. He and his father had mostly discussed politics, something he knew that wasn't Henry's favourite subject. Sure, he'd follow on with the conversation, but he had little to no interest in following it. "Tell me about what happened at the shelter today, that had you so on edge when you came home."

"A new kid came in today, he was sixteen." Henry began as he laced his fingers through Alex's and sighed into his broad chest. "He had been living with his grandmother and when she had found out he was gay, she said the most ghastly, hurtful things. I sat with him, supporting him through his first session with Sophia, the new psychologist. Listening to him speak about the way his grandmother treated him, it brought back the most painful memories about how Gran would treat me."

"Baby." Alex cries softly, feeling for him. He knows first-hand the trauma of how Mary Mountchristen-Windsor can cut Henry in half with a sharp hiss of an insult. Henry has confided in him, about what she was truly like to him, for his whole life. As has Bea. Not to mention Alex has had his own run ins with the woman. "Is Lucia back from her honeymoon yet?"

"I have an appointment with her on Monday." Henry admitted. "As soon as I was back in my office, I called and requested an emergency appointment."

"Good! Not that I don't think you can handle it because you can." Alex reassured him, driving his point home with a kiss to the forehead. "But because I know that you and Lucia have been discussing Mary's role in your trauma lately and she deserves to know that you've felt triggered in your work."

Lucia Fratteli was a godsend that Alex and Henry had not realised they'd needed when they'd moved to New York. She lived two streets over in a Brownstone, not too much different from there. The only difference being that instead of a security apartment downstairs, Lucia had her clinic rooms, where she ran her practice. Honestly, Shaan and Zahra had found her. Both of them recommending they speak with someone after being publicly outed and having their emails leaked. Even though Henry had his therapist in London, Shaan had wanted Henry to have someone local too. He had been glad when Henry and Alex had spoken about it and agreed that they both should talk to someone because no doubt about it, neither of them had dealt with it in a healthy manner.

Morning in the Brownstone was educational, in Oscar's eyes. The night before had almost been a bubble in time. So, when he came into the kitchen just before seven, in search of coffee, he certainly didn't expect the prince of his son's heart to be wearing his son's apron and dicing vegetables at the counter. Not two minutes later, before Henry had been able to offer Oscar coffee, Alex had come in from downstairs. He was dressed in a sleeveless tee, basketball shorts and had his earbuds in his ears.

"Hey, Baby." Alex said as he sidled up beside Henry, kissing the man's lips while he chopped the vegetables. "I beat my personal best time and Mrs. Jenkins sends her love and admiration to you for your help with the weeds last weekend."

"Really? You must do that now." Henry asked in mock disgust, swatting playfully at Alex's hands as he stole a piece of red pepper off the counter. "Go shower, you're all sweaty and you smell."

"Mornin' Pa." Alex continued to move over to the fridge, ignoring Henry's edict to go shower. He offered his father coffee, before taking the water from fridge and downing half of the bottle. "Need any help with the breakfast prep, Hen?"

"Go shower, you heathen!" Henry playfully swatted him away again, but this time watched as Alex sashayed out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the bedroom he shared with Henry. "Every bloody morning." Henry muttered through his smile, to himself.

Oscar smiled into his coffee cup. Leo had been right. To see Henry and Alex in this domesticity, it warmed his heart. It gave Oscar a glimpse into the life that the two men shared and the happiness they had between them. Looking up to see Oscar smiling at Henry, Henry widened his smile.

"He always was a little shit!" Oscar joked, joining Henry at the counter. He took up the eggs and the large bowl that were already set out. He had figured out the Henry was planning to make omelettes for breakfast and figured the least he could do was help out by cracking the eggs into the bowl for Henry.

"Yeah, but he's my little shit." Henry retorted, managing not to lose his composure too much with laughter.

"Yes, he is." Oscar grinned at him. "All yours."

It made Oscar feel at peace to know that Alex was so loved and so cared for by Henry. That Alex loved and cared for Henry, just as much.

By the time, Alex came back into the kitchen freshly showered in a tee and jeans, Oscar was putting the finishing touches on vegetables and pouring the egg over them, as Henry was retrieving cheese for him.

Most mornings Henry usually prepared all of the breakfast and Alex would plate up and wash up. Other mornings, Alex cooked, and Henry washed up. On a few rare mornings, they had cereal and ran out of the house, hurried from oversleeping. Occasionally, one would make a small tray with hot beverages and pastries, and they'd join the other in bed and make it a leisurely morning. But they hadn't had the time to do that in a while.

"Thanks Dad, I usually do that." Alex grinned, as Henry handed him a mug of coffee.

"I don't expect either of you to wait on me, hand and foot." Oscar admonished them, lightly. "Now what's the plan for the day?"

"Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty, of course." Alex gleaned at him, enjoying Henry's accompanying, playful groan. Henry played into the groan. It was not a hardship going to those places and admittedly, Henry did love the Empire State Building. The majestic romantic idealism and having watched the great movies of the past like An Affair to Remember, On the Town, Independence Day, Superman II, King Kong and Henry's absolute favourite - Sleepless in Seattle. It always got through to Henry's heart, just that little bit more than usual.

Henry knew that both Oscar and Alex were major history buffs, and those two stops would definitely be on the list of places they would want to visit. They had been to both places a few times now. Once when Ellen and Leo had come to stay, another time with Bea, and again with Catherine. Henry loved to watch Alex when he was visiting places like that. Alex is a passionate person, but when he speaks about places that makes him happy like those two places do, his eyes light up and Henry can read into his soul.

"Sounds doable." Oscar laughed. "Let me know what time the two of you want to leave and I'll make sure I am ready."