"How's the roommate search going?" Bea asked Henry, as soon as they'd done away with pleasantries. She was on a charity tour with her band, currently in some exotic part of Africa and had been promising to call Henry at this time since her last phone call. Cell services were sporadic, at best.
"Poorly," Henry sighed. "David doesn't seem to like any of the candidates I've met with. It's been two months, Bea."
"Have you thought about getting David checked out by a vet? It is certainly odd." Bea asked, trying to be helpful to her little brother. David had always adored her, so, she too, thought this was strange behaviour for him. "He could be just overprotective of you. Just choose someone. I am sure David will grow to love them."
"Beatrice Elizabeth Mary Catherine Fox-Mountchristen," Henry chides his sister, using her full name, which he knows how much she hates.
It reminded her too much of their maternal grandmother Mary and how she wants to control everyone and everything in their sphere. Their brother was a sucker for her whims, and hung up on every one of them. Until he married his childhood sweetheart, Martha and she opened his eyes to the toxicity of Mary. Now Mary lived all alone in her palatial, stately home with no family around her; cut off from them.
Henry had been the first one to cut ties and that had caused a massive divide in their family. His grandmother had barged her way into Henry's apartment, uninvited, back when he was at uni. She had walked in to catch him in flagrante delicto with his casual partner, at the time, having sex on his sofa. Mary had been horrified to have her worst fears confirmed. That her Grandson, was indeed, gay as a maypole. Calling a family meeting, under the guise of a family dinner to discuss Philip's upcoming nuptials, Henry had reluctantly attended. At that family dinner, their grandmother had shamelessly outed him to his entire family.
Fed up, hurt and betrayed, by a woman he had always believed loved him, Henry had thrown his dinner napkin on the table in anger. Rising to his feet, he had flung some hurtful, hateful words at their grandmother and stormed off. But not before firing a final parting shot at her. "I guess I'll see you in hell then."
Bea had been the next one to cut ties. Their gran insisting that Bea was a cocaine addict when she was twenty because of the kind of punk rock music her band had geared themselves to at the time. Their grandmother had even gone as far as to insist that Philip, their older brother, have her admitted into a rehabilitation facility against her will.
Henry had intervened and helped Bea stand up to both of them. Henry had been the only one that could see that although she was surrounded with drugs within her band, she was not using. Not only did Bea cut ties with the family, but she cut ties with her old band and formed a new one with two girls from a charity she got involved with. The charity tagline is "solving world hunger, one bite at a time" They host expensive charity dinners for the world's richest and elite influential people, prepared by Michelin five star chef's and raise money towards solving world hunger.
Her band often performs at these dinner, as well, which was how they were discovered. Before they knew it, they had been whisked off to record their first album at Abbey Road Studios, in London. That album had opened so many door for their small charity and was currently funding their entire operation. Their first album was a worldwide smash hit. Now they've just finished recording their fourth album in three years, the girls are having some down time. Touring some of the most uncivilised parts of Africa and experiencing life like the locals their charity helps; one day at a time.
Their mother was the next one to cut ties. After a sudden realisation that two out of three of her children had cut her mother out of their lives. Ironically, it had been Philip whining to her about his sibling's abhorrent treatment of their grandmother that had brought her out of her grief. Although she had been present for each of the showdowns between Mary and her children, Philip's whining had broken through the seemingly unbreakable barrier of her grief.
Her first act was to chastise her son, reminding him that Beatrice and Henry are adults and that there is nothing wrong with cutting toxic people from one's life. Even if they are your own family. Next, Catherine confronted her mother, before laying into her regarding the treatment of her children. It would not be tolerated. When Mary fired a homophobic reply regarding Henry in Catherine's way, she responded with cutting Mary from her life. She reminded Philip that he too could cut her loose, that he didn't need to follow her blindly. But Catherine also reiterated, in a very loving, motherly tone, "The choice is yours and I will respect your choices."
Philip made his choice, choosing to side with their grandmother, after all, she had been there for them and tried to steer them right, in the wake of their father's death. It wasn't her fault, or his, that Henry and Beatrice had chosen to rebel against her rules. Catherine had told him she understood, before adding she hoped one day he would forgive her for being lost in her love and grief for Arthur.
Martha had not been so understanding of Philip's choices. She had reminded him point blank of all the times that Mary had berated and belittled him, for the actions of his siblings. She reminded him of his childhood when Mary would snap a wooden ruler across his fingers if he so much as took a misstep out of line. Martha reminded him that Mary had cruelly out Henry. Not just to their family, but in the days after Henry cut ties with them, to Mary's friends and family.
Martha, at the time three and a half months pregnant with their first child asked Philip a hypothetical question that had plagued him for days on end. A question that had him waking up in the middle of night, internally screaming, drenched in a cold sweat. "Would you let Mary treat your own son, the way she treated Henry? A leopard doesn't change its spots."
The answer had been an unequivocal and resoundingly hard 'no' from Philip. He too, cut his ties with Mary, seeing the toxicity of her nature during a heated, ranting monologue about Henry's latest disgrace. She had heard from an acquaintance that her gay grandson was living in Brooklyn now and had published a queer collection of poetry and short stories. Before she had got on her rant about Martha's morning sickness being a sign of bad breeding.
That had tipped Philip over the edge and he had snapped at Mary, telling her in no uncertain terms that he, Martha and their unborn child wanted nothing further to do with her. Not believing Philip would act in such a manner, she had seemed unaffected. But when she had begun to pester Philip for a visit when he had been ignoring her, Philip had her hit with an AVO and promptly changed his and Martha's telephone numbers.
However, all of this was too little too late. Henry had already left for New York and his parting words to his little brother had been hurtful, and mentally harmful. Childishly, on the way out of Henry's apartment that fateful day, Philip had made sure to terrorise David, Henry's beagle one last time. It had started out as a childish way to aggravate Henry into doing whatever their gran had wanted, but he had secretly taken pleasure in mentally tormenting Henry's anxiety riddled beagle further.
Of course, no one knew he took such pleasure in it, it was a secret that Philip planned to take to the grave. Henry suspected, but could never prove it was him.
"Bea, I really must run, I have one last interview to get through today. This one has to work out." Henry rushed his sister off the phone. As much as he hadn't wanted to, if Henry didn't find a room mate soon, he would be unable to afford his rent and would be living in the streets. His budget had been stretched thin already, purchasing this modest three bedroom apartment.
"Is this the fellow that Pez recommended?" Bea asked, remembering the story that Pez, Henry's best friend had shown his friend Henry's ad for a roommate, encouraging his couch-surfing friend to apply for the room.
"Yes, Pez's new colleague." Henry murmured. Henry had heard nothing but positive things about Alexander Claremont-Diaz from his best friend. Apparently the man was a crackerjack lawyer, with the personality of an over-eager puppy. In the best way, had been how Percy had phrased it.
The irony was that Henry knew way too much about Percy's sex life, and that in itself was the crux for the reason why Pez wanted Alex to move in with him. Percy was involved, for lack of a better term with Alex's sister and her girlfriend and Alex living on his sister's sofa wasn't cock-blocking him per se, but was a slight inconvenience to their sex life.
Henry agreed to meet with him purely out of desperation for a roommate and had made no such promises to his friend.
"All Percy has said is 'he's a good egg, a diamond in the rough.' He isn't going to be dangerous, is he?" Bea reminds him of Percy's words, worried for her younger brother. "I can loan you some money, just to tie you over. Don't feel obligated because of Percy's insistence."
"I highly doubt that Pez, of all people, is friends with anyone like that. I'll be ok." Henry chastised her. "I told you before, I am not taking your money. I intend to prove to everyone who has ever doubted me, that I can do this."
Reluctantly, Henry begged off the call. Alex was due to arrive any minute and he wanted to make himself a cup of tea before he arrived. Henry had desperately wanted to beg David to like this prospective roommate candidate, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He wanted David to be just as comfortable in his home, not like when he lived in England. He was sure that Philip, and his grandmother had treated David poorly behind his back. Which had probably added to David's anxiety about the whole finding a roommate process.
The knock at the door sounded like a bang and Henry had figured out that David would run away and hide. Sure enough, he turned around and there was David, hiding and quivering in fear, underneath the sofa. Answering the door with an exasperated sigh at David and an apology for the sigh, Henry was left speechless when a man who looked life a Latin god answered the door. A tight black tee and denim jeans, that showed off his perfectly sculpted body.
"Henry Fox, I assume?" Alex asked hesitantly, a blonde Greek god standing before him, dressed in soft sweatpants and an oversized brown cardigan that had belonged to the blonde man's late father. "I'm Alex, Pez's friend."
"Ah, … sorry." Henry managed to stammer out an apology. "I'm Henry, please, do come in." He took advantage of the split second Alex walked past him to admire his behind, before turning to close and lock the apartment door, so David didn't decide to make a run for it after that prospective roommate Hunter had come by. "Take a seat in the living room, can I get you anything?"
"A coffee would be great if you have it." Henry nodded, and headed to the kitchen. It was an open plan apartment, modest, but on the smaller size, so Henry had an uninterrupted view of Alex getting settled in the living room.
Returning to the living room, handing Alex a coffee, the man hummed, pleased with the coffee at the first sip. "Is that cinnamon I can taste?" Alex asked, knowing that it was and liking that Henry already knew his preference.
"Sorry, I did that automatically. That is the way my sister Bea drinks her coffee." Henry apologised profusely, turning red at his blunder.
"Oh, no. It's fine." Alex reassured him. "I thought Pez told you how I take my coffee. Black, strong and cinnamon. The cinnamon surprised me. Not many people automatically add it into coffee."
"My sister does. She likes her coffee the same way our father did." He recalled the memory of Arthur being handed a cinnamon long black, strong, by his PA on a film set one day. "My father took his coffee the same way as you. It's comforting."
"Thanks, I think." Alex quipped seeing Henry teeter on the precipice of an emotional outburst. Alex knew enough from Pez to know that Arthur Fox was a sore point for the man who had lost his father only four years ago. "Pez mentioned you have a dog, you should know upfront that I have no problem with dogs. I love dogs."
"That is good to know." Henry murmured, before picking up his clipboard and opening it. "I have a standard questionnaire I have been asking people. I do not even pretend to know what Percy has told you, but I am after someone who I can gel with, who gels with me. Someone who my dog likes and in turn, likes him. David, my beagle, is a hard limit. The deciding factor. He has crippling anxiety and I will not induce his stress, further."
"Wait, David. Is that your dogs name?" Alex asked, amused. "Is he an accountant? Perhaps he performs tax audits on the side. Can he balance checking accounts too?"
He can hear the teasing in Alex's tone and takes the jest how it is intended. "You menace," Henry fired back at him. "He's named after Bowie."
"Why not just call him Bowie, then?" Alex asked, confusion clearly written on his face.
"It's a bit on the nose, don't you think?" Henry retorts, feeling positive about the banter between them so far. "A man has to have some mystery about him."
Movement at Alex's feet slowly caught Henry's attention but he didn't comment on it. Not wanting to startle David, this was more than David had done with the other potential candidates.
Feeling the movement, Alex let a grin take over his face. "I'm being tasted from something underneath the sofa, that I hope is a beagle." Alex stated, keeping very still as not to frighten the anxious dog.
Seeing David stick his nose out from under the sofa and sniff Alex's impossibly long legs, Henry hopes is a good sign. "That's David." Henry confirms, as Alex continues filling in the personality questionnaire.
Lost in his appreciation for the attention to his questionnaire, Alex pays, Henry can't help but ogle the man's body. Sex on a stick. Pure sin, it's rawest form. Sex on legs. All of the euphemisms Henry can think of and more. That was how Henry missed David's movement when he tentatively ventured out from underneath the sofa, in his favourite hiding spot.
Offering to refill Alex's coffee, he collects both cups and makes his way to the kitchen. He wanted a chance to observe Alex with David from a distance, while still in the same room. David was cautiously sniffing and smelling him, when Henry returned. Of course, he could see that Alex was aware of his beagle and actively taking steps to not frighten him. A fact that he appreciated.
Henry let his mind wander, only to brought back into reality by Alex's hesitant voice. "Ah, Henry?" Looking at the man Henry had been actively trying to avoid staring at, he was surprised to see David, curled up on his lap. Snoring lightly, the way the beagles do.
"Wha?" Henry asked, his mouth gaping open in surprise. David had never gotten that close to another person who wasn't Henry before. Even with his sister and best friend whom only ever received the odd lick from him.
"I guess I'm not going anywhere now." Alex grinned at him, pleased to see the beagle had immediately liked him enough to fall asleep in his lap. "I'm nap trapped."
The amusement on Alex's face translated to Henry's and Henry just returned Alex's unrepentant grin. "It's not a hardship to sit and talk with someone but if David is bothering you, feel free to move him to the side."
"He's fine." Alex reiterated, stroking his finger's absentmindedly through David's fur.
Henry's thoughts turned green with envy. Lucky dog, what he wouldn't give to have Alex's fingers tousling his hair and his fingernails scratching his scalp in an enticing manner. Henry would be making soft, contented sleepy sighs like his beagle too.
They continued their roommate interview, constantly veering off topic, over anything and everything. From Star Wars to Harry Potter, Beyonce to Taylor Swift, and even the president of the United States to the Queen of England; nothing was off limits. Of course, it wasn't all healthy debates of their differing opinions. They collectively agreed on the sexiness of Colin Firth, especially in the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. They agreed that Senator Rafael Luna was perhaps the sexiest man in US politics, even if he was friend's with Alex's father. Most of all, they agreed that Pez tended to overshare when it came to his sex life with Alex's sister and her girlfriend, Alex's best friend, Nora.
A fifteen minute interview had somehow turned into literally an all afternoon gab-fest, as they lost track of the time. Alex profusely apologised, both to Henry and to David, the latter getting a kiss atop his furry head when Alex picked him up, disturbing him when he was ready to leave.
"The room is yours, if you're interested." Henry told him, when Alex stood to bid them a farewell.
"Definitely interested." Alex murmured, giving Henry a little side eye. "You and I both know what Pez has been doing to June and Nora. I've been bleeding out of my ears living on that sofa, having to hear that all night; every night."
The thing is Henry does understand and sympathise with Alex. He had lived with Pez when they were in the dorms, both at Eton and at Oxford. Never had Henry been so relieved to live on his own, when he got an apartment off campus. He loved his best friend Pez, albeit not in that way, but Percy was noisy in bed with his partners. Too noisy.
Living with Alex was going well. Considering they were only a week into the arrangement. Alex had taken the week off from work because he had been expecting a small shipment of furniture from his apartment in Austin to arrive by freight. It wasn't a big shipment, just a Queen size box springs, mattress and an oversized armchair. His parents had been storing his furniture until he found somewhere. But the freight company had been unable to tell him precisely when his stuff would arrive. Just giving him the week as a delivery window. That was how Alex ended up home for his first week living with Henry.
Which suited David just fine. He had a new friend to stay with and entertain while Henry went to the library, or on small research outings for the next book he was working on. Henry had been pleased that David had seemed happy to stay with Alex, not whining or howling about being left behind when Henry had to leave.
That made Henry stop in his tracks the first time he was leaving the apartment and he realised that David was happy to stay with Alex. Shortly after that, Henry began to notice that David would sit by Alex's feet at dinner time. He had suspected that the other man had been feeding the obese beagle some contraband, but upon further investigation, discovered that wasn't happening. When they'd watch a movie together on Monday nights, David would jump up on the sofa and make himself at home on Alex's lap. The latino man never minded, he'd just give him a scratch behind the ears.
Then Henry noticed on Thursday nights when Alex and Henry would spend the night watching reality TV. Which mostly consisted of binging Bake Off, Tiny Houses and House Hunters David was making himself at home in his roommate's lap also. Not that Henry could blame him. Alex was an attractive man. Strong, fit, handsome and those curls did things to Henry that he would never be able to confess to a priest; not that he was religious, let alone Catholic.
Henry catching a cold three months into Alex living him was not in the Englishman's plans either. Nor was Henry feeling really lousy and opting to have an early night, only to find that his canine friend and constant companion would much rather snuggle with their adonis-looking roommate than comfort a sick Henry. Sighing, Alex felt sorry for Henry and sent David to bed with him.
That didn't last long, the snores from a heavily congested Henry permeated the apartment and David came back out into the living room to entertain Alex with zoomies. Alex loved when David would do zoomies through the apartment and quite often would rile David up more, much to Henry's chagrin. With zoomies over and all tired out, and no Henry to playfully chastise David for loving Alex more, he took advantage of Alex's kind nature and laid across Alex's body lengthways. The weight of obese beagle and low hum of the movie playing in the background lulled Alex to sleep.
That was where Henry found them when he ventured to the kitchen at 2:37am the following morning. Knowing that if Alex slept on his sofa all night, he'd be extremely sore and feeling very gingery when he finally woke. The only thing worse than sleeping on Henry's sofa, was the air mattress Alex had slept on for the first week in that apartment while awaiting his furniture's arrival from Texas. Gently waking his roommate, he instructed Alex to head to bed. Two things Henry had not been prepared for was David greasy look for daring to disturb his sleep snuggled with Alex and for Henry to follow a barely awake Alex into his bedroom. Finished with his water, Henry walked the long way to the bathroom, right passed Alex's open bedroom door. There he was face down, unconscious, deep in his slumber on top of the covers with only David curled into the side of him for warmth.
The following week when Henry was better, all recovered from his cold, he had successfully passed it on. Right onto Alex. Now Alex was the one feeling like death warmed up, sneezy, congested and snoring like a freight train. If Henry believed by some miracle that was when he would abandon sleeping beside Alex, in favour of Henry once more, he was sorely mistaken.
"Bea, it's just not fair." Henry whined into the receiver, safely locked behind his bedroom door. Alex was asleep and Henry was on a scheduled facetime call with his sister. She was in the States now, in San Diego to be precise. "I know I said I needed a roommate that David approved of, but I swear the old boy is obsessed with Alex."
"Like you aren't?" His sister retorted. Ever since Alex had first moved in, every conversation that she had held with Henry, her brother had spent more time talking about Alex than mentioning anything about himself She had to find out from Pez that he was working on a second novel, or that his Queer anthology was getting a second edition with updated annotations regarding a certain author and her views on trans people. "I swear I know more about Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz than I know about you. And Yes, I know his full name because you literally do not shut up about your hot as fuck roommate."
"Beatrice, please." Henry pleaded, he didn't think he was that bad.
"Even Mum thinks you're boinking him, you've got it bad."
"It's just that, David and Alex ..." Henry tried to argue, but it was no use.
"Argh, Oh my god. No, Henry." Bea chastised him, blowing him a kiss. "I've had enough, I'm hanging up now."
Henry's next three calls with Bea were of a similar fashion. That had been the final straw. Bea had decided she needed to assess the situation for herself and had flown in to see what had Henry so worked up. She had surprised Henry, and Alex, crashing into their reality TV night unexpectedly. With no notice of her arrival, Henry had offered her his bed, saying he would take the sofa. But she had declined, telling him she had an 11am London time zoom call with the charity manager about an upcoming gig. That was six am in Brooklyn.
Waking up and showering, changing into some fresh clothes, Bea was tired, but happy once more to be back in her brother's world. The apartment was warm, the sun already awake and heating up the already hot apartment. After she returned from the shower, she had noticed that Alex's bedroom door was open and neither the beagle nor roommate were anywhere in the apartment.
She was just wrapping up her zoom call perched on a barstool at Henry's breakfast bar, Alex let himself back into the apartment. Bending down to release the weary, exhausted beagle afforded Bea a direct view of Alex's cotton clad derriere. Alex wasn't her type of man, but that didn't stop her from appreciating the view. Grinning to herself, she could see what her brother could. His roommate was ridiculously hot.
Watching the excited beagle dance around Alex's feet, as he hung up his leash and deposited the bakery bag of pastries he's collected on his run onto the counter, even Bea had to admit, David's behaviour was peculiar.
When Alex emerged from his hower, Henry was awake. Alex came back out dressed in a beautiful navy suit, crisp white shirt, matching tie and his curls styled in a way that made Henry want to swallow his own tongue. As soon as David saw Alex, he made a beeline straight for him.
"Don't you look spiffy today, Alex?" Bea asked him, feeling sorry, but taking a perverse amount of pleasure out of seeing Henry so tongue tied, he literally started coughing, over Alex's good looks.
"No, Davey. Down. Alex ordered the beagle who was jumping on his legs, begging for Alex's attention. David obeying immediately, made both Henry and Bea take note. David's always been a cheeky shit, just like Henry. Suitably chastised, David headed to his dog bed in the corner of the living room, whining like a toddler sent to time out. "Sorry, Bea. What did you say while David was trying to redecorate my suit with his fur?"
"You look spiffy today." She repeated herself. She watched on, feeling like a voyeur as Henry handed Alex the lint roller for his suit on autopilot. Like this scene played out exactly like this every single morning.
"Oh, I have to go to court today." Alex murmured, pouring some coffee in to the thermos. Catching the time on the clock above the rangehood, Alex swore. "Fuck, I am so late." Uttering quick goodbyes he was out the door.
"Both of you are smitten with him." Bea exclaimed with glee. David toddled over to Henry for some love and affection. "Oh, this is too precious." She clapped her hands together in excitement and Henry flipped her off with his middle finger.
"Now, you remember I exist." Henry muttered to his dog, as he preened under Henry's touch. He had tried not to sound as bitter as he was feeling, but it was a hard battle. The one point Henry refused to admit, even to himself was that he was jealous of the attention Alex gave David. "But when Alex is here ..."
"Henry, you need to tell Alex how you feel." Bea said softly, taking her brother's hand in hers. "David is your dog, for your anxiety and if Alex knew David's obsession with him was heightening your anxiety, I am sure he would understand. Think about it.
The thing was Percy had said the same thing. So had June, Alex's sister. So had Nora, Alex's best friend. So had Sage and Ethel at the library. So had Shaan, his therapist; as well as anyone else he had complained to including his own mother. He'd even been tempted to call Alex's mother and complain, but Henry was afraid that Ellen Claremont would tell him the same thing as everyone else. They were all right, of course, he'd have to confront his feelings about Alex and about David.
That evening, Bea had cleared out, under the guise of a dinner date, telling Alex, as well as Henry not to wait up. While Henry was calm, because Bea had left telling them not to wait up. No it didn't bother him, his sister had other friends, and possibly a man here in the city. She was always vague on that point, but it wasn't out of character for her, so Henry never worried. But despite only meeting Bea two days beforehand, Alex was a terrified mess. But that had only made him that more endearing to Henry. Alex was concerned, pacing and fretting. Worrying about Henry's sister and Henry couldn't help but feel things about it.
"First my dog, now my sister." Henry muttered playfully in Alex's direction. But the scathing look he had sent the writer, did not soothe the lawyer's savageness. "I was joking, love. Are you ok?"
Alex couldn't actually answer that. Between the case he was working on and his ever growing feelings for Henry, Alex was hanging on by a thread. Stopping his agitated pacing, Alex down huffed into the sofa beside Henry. "No, I am not ok." He admitted in a small voice.
"Want to tell me what's going on?" Henry offered, hoping Alex would open up.
"Can't," Alex sighed. "Work stuff." Alex was quiet again. "Does it really bother you that David and I are getting along so well? Because I can not take him with me for walks or on my morning run. I can tell him to leave me alone. I am sure you've noticed, despite being a little shit like you, he actually listens to me."
"Alex," Of course, in that moment, David realised that Alex's lap was now available because he had stopped pacing the floor and sat down. Like a lightning bolt, David was out of his bed and into Alex's lap. "Make yourself comfortable there, David."
"Aww, jealous are you, sweetheart?" Alex cooed at Henry, making light fun of Henry's words to his dog. "Did you want to sit in my lap instead?"
Later, Henry couldn't tell anyone what had possessed him in that moment to say what he said. To ask Alex what he asked him. Perhaps, it was temporary insanity. "What if I did?" Henry murmured in reply, looking at through his hooded eyes. Mostly to conceal the look of pure want in them.
"Baby," Alex grinned, as wide as his face would let him. Henry's whole body reacted and the blush had worked its way onto Henry's face adorable, and strangely, really doing it for Alex.
"Alex, you need to move David." Henry warned him, "Right now, or I'm going to sit on him when I crawl into your lap and kiss you stupid."
David was shoved gently and quickly to the far side of Alex, before he pulled Henry into his lap at the same time as Henry hurriedly made his own move, sitting astride Alex's thighs. Capturing Alex's soft lips against his own, Henry practically melted against the touches Alex's hands. Together they moved together in tandem, each move complementing the corresponding move, in a dance as old as time. Heating up their kisses, the feeling of a rough tongue against Henry's face had Alex, breaking the kiss and dissolving into a ball of laughter, while Henry glared at both Alex and David.
"See baby, he still loves you too." Alex grinned, kissing Henry's face on the side that wasn't covered in David's slobber. "Stay here, David." Alex ordered him, pointing to the sofa. As Henry pulled him up by the hand and led him into his bedroom, taking the extra jiffy of a second to lock the door so David couldn't interrupt them.
"Where were we?" Henry murmured against Alex's lips as he lowered him onto the mattress.
The soft pitter patter of paws on the floorboards and a small whine at the door, had both men ignoring David, in favour of some time with each other.