#loveindomitable

If someone had asked Henry what his life would be like in ten years, let alone two, he wouldn’t have said it would be this. This utopian dream that he’d never have believed he could have.

After everything had gone down with his and Alex’s emails leaking, the palace had practically forced them to split, all but locking Henry up until he gave up trying to reach out to Alex. With his and Bea’s phones taken, there had bee no way to get a hold of Alex, and eventually he’d been forced to accept that things were over.

It had only been six months, but now Henry was finally away from it all, and he couldnt be happier… or at least, that was what he’d told himself. He’d kept track of Alex for a little while through Shaan and Zahra, but when it seemed as if Alex was happy, Henry had eventually accepted fro Shaan that it was time to let the past go.

The little bookshop was in a tucked away corner of the city, and Henry loved running it. Here, he was Henry Fox, just Henry Fox, and no one thought to ask twice, especially since he’d dyed his hair brown. His days consisted of the same routine; school in the day, and the bookshop into the late evening. It was a simple life, but Henry loved it.

This particular day, he’d just finished unlocking the shop and setting it up for an evening’s work when he heard the familiar Texan drawl he hadn’t heard in what felt like decades. Henry almost dropped the book he was putting away before he slowly turned his head to view the inevitable; Alex Claremont Diaz, standing just a breath away, gorgeous as ever, with an easy smile and a pile of books under one arm. Henry opened his mouth then closed it, before inwardly shaking himself. Whether Alex even recognised him was another matter, so Henry put on his professional face, and cleared his throat.

Phillip watched from where he sat a little way aways from Alex, his expression impassive as the young man began to stir. The Prince had been aware of his brother's fascination with the Texan for a while, but had contemplated whether to do anything about it for a while, simply content to see if the relationship would fester or fall to begin with. Now it seemed as if there was a true attachment growing there, and he could not deny that he was angry at his brother's clear lack of care, his carelessness.

So he'd taken matters into his own hands. Luring Alex had felt like less of a challenge than he had hoped it would be, and Phillip wouldn't deny that the anger he knew his brother would feel when he found out would be exhilarating. For a while, if nothing else, Alex would need him, not Henry. In ways Henry could never imagine, would never allow himself to be needed.

It would be interesting.

Henry's acting...CAGEY. Honestly, Alex doesn't know WHY, or what it is that sets him off, but he can tell that something is bothering the other man. They've been friends for over a year now, and Alex is taking the last chance he gets to spend some time with Henry in London before he'll be busy going off to college, and he doesn't want to spend that time being awkward for no fucking reason.

"H," He says, furrowing his brows as he watches the other get into the bed they share ( because Alex refuses to sleep rooms away from his best friend in this giant ass palace ). "It's the middle of fucking July, why are you wearing a long sleeved shirt to bed?" He shakes his head, "I've been debating on not wearing a shirt at all and here you are, being even STRANGER than usual," He pulls at the fabric of the other man's sleeve. "Care to explain?"