[Alec hides it well; Henry has no reason to believe anything happened between him and Sprezzatura, short of trawling through his mind for that recollection.]
She apologized for the way she framed the things she said. [Not that Henry was ever that upset about it.] And then she clarified that her real fear was losing one more thing she considered precious: our friendship.
[That throwaway argument is all but expected. Henry knew that he had lowered Alec's opinion of Sprezzatura the last time they talked about this -- but the rest? That does surprise him a little.
At this, Henry actually leans back, propping himself up on an elbow to get a proper look at him.]
...Just how unwell did it go?
[Mind churning: he knows Sprezzatura, and he knows Alec. He knows how they Are. Uh oh.]
[Yes, but he does wonder to what degree. There's a difference between "I am going home with this guy on my team" versus "I fell very obsessively hard for this one man who is now the center of my universe and I Would Do Anything for him."
[ Alec actually has to stop and think about that. After that little altercation, he wouldn't exactly call himself fond of her by any stretch of the imagination, but angry? ]
I dunno. Kind of hard to be mad about much of anything right now.
[His shoulders rise in an inhale-exhale, not-quite-sigh. Yes, it is hard to be angry, or concerned, or really anything other than just content right now. Though he will have to follow up with Sprezzatura eventually. Maybe smooth a few things out, if such a thing is even possible when dealing with stubborn personalities. (You're stubborn, too, Henry.)]
I don't mean to ruin the moment. And I won't tell you what to do, but it would be nice if you did try to be civil with her from now on. She just lets her... passion get the best of her, sometimes.
[ As ever, when Henry smiles at him — really smiles — Alec can't help but return the expression. He lifts a hand, slides the backs of his knuckles along the side of Henry's face, so fond. ]
[He likes that expression on Alec's face, too. He should wear it more often.]
Difficult? You? Never.
[He kids, while leaning his face into that touch.]
In the end, as long as you're here, that's all I need. [There are connections here that he'd not want to lose, of course. Some he would even feel bad to see go. But Alec is more than that, he's Henry's lifeline, and the most important person here to remain close to, above all else.]
You're not robbing me of anything. [The opposite is true. He's only ever given, and given, and given.] I just told you, all I need is you. [This sentiment times one hundred. One thousand. Innumerable.]
Besides, I'll talk to her again soon. Maybe she'll have cooled off by then.
[Of course he knows that. Alec's priorities have always revolved around giving him freedom and agency he never really had before. He doesn't expect butting heads with one of Henry's friends will change that.]
Alec. I'll never think that you're trying to control or manipulate me. Or take something away because it inconveniences you. [Which is very, very ironic. Because he could just ask nicely for anything, and Henry would do it.] I trust you more than that. So don't worry.
[His brow arches. Henry's ever "done this before" either, but mainly because he'd been trapped in a lab and a hellscape for a number of years. And also because what well-adjusted person would want to date Henry Creel, Tentacle Monster. But he isn't sure what he expected from Alec, and he finds himself direly curious now.]
[Oh, yes, he remembers. And though he would never have expected Alec to be one for very serious relationships (not until him, apparently, and how utterly sublime that is to know), he thought there might have been a fling or two in there along the way.
I mean, just look at him.]
I remember. You must have disappointed a lot of people, then.
[You know, turning down the interest you can't convince him didn't exist, undoubtedly flung in Alec's direction. It's actually a little delightful to think about.]
[ Flings are different. Flings are easy. The girls around the Griffonix teasingly call him a one-night stand artist, and Alec doesn't prove them wrong. He has long mastered the art of slipping out of a prospective partner's house while they still lay sleeping. ]
Better to get it over with early on.
[ Because the things Alec does, the type of person he is, will always prove to be a disappointment. To everyone but Henry, it seems. ]
[Ah, the words of someone who expects to disappoint other people. Henry knows it when he sees it, hears it. He's a master of teasing out painful, raw things, though he doesn't ever mean to with Alec.
But they've seen each other's core, the insecurities that lie buried deep, deep beneath. He knows when he treads upon something a little less unsteady than the rest, purposeful or not.]
...If they can't appreciate every part of you [even the sharp edges, the ugliness, the anger] then yes. They're not worth the time.
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striketwice) wrote2022-10-02 07:47 pm
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She apologized for the way she framed the things she said. [Not that Henry was ever that upset about it.] And then she clarified that her real fear was losing one more thing she considered precious: our friendship.
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She sure had a hell of a way of showing it.
[ It's a token argument at best, with no real heat behind it. He groans, scrubbing a hand over his face. ]
She came to talk to me before we went into the palace. It... didn't go well.
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At this, Henry actually leans back, propping himself up on an elbow to get a proper look at him.]
...Just how unwell did it go?
[Mind churning: he knows Sprezzatura, and he knows Alec. He knows how they Are. Uh oh.]
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I yelled at her, she screamed at me. There was almost physical violence.
[ So you know NOT GREAT. ]
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Alec...
[Does he have to do some damage control here.]
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[BUT-!!!!]
I take it she knows, then, that I'm going home with you?
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His lips thin a little, considering.]
I see. And now, are you still angry with her?
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I dunno. Kind of hard to be mad about much of anything right now.
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I don't mean to ruin the moment. And I won't tell you what to do, but it would be nice if you did try to be civil with her from now on. She just lets her... passion get the best of her, sometimes.
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I noticed. [ He's still surprised she somehow refrained from smacking him. ] Fine. I'll do my best. For you.
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Still, that tugs a smile out of him—the sincere kind—and he eases forward to give Alec another kiss.]
That’s all I can ask for.
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Hope I didn't make things more difficult for you.
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Difficult? You? Never.
[He kids, while leaning his face into that touch.]
In the end, as long as you're here, that's all I need. [There are connections here that he'd not want to lose, of course. Some he would even feel bad to see go. But Alec is more than that, he's Henry's lifeline, and the most important person here to remain close to, above all else.]
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As happy as I am to hear that— [ and he is quite happy indeed ] —it's not my goal to rob you of your other relationships.
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You're not robbing me of anything. [The opposite is true. He's only ever given, and given, and given.] I just told you, all I need is you. [This sentiment times one hundred. One thousand. Innumerable.]
Besides, I'll talk to her again soon. Maybe she'll have cooled off by then.
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Still, I'm just saying. You're allowed to have friends. Even if we don't— [ vague hand motions ] —get along.
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[Of course he knows that. Alec's priorities have always revolved around giving him freedom and agency he never really had before. He doesn't expect butting heads with one of Henry's friends will change that.]
Alec. I'll never think that you're trying to control or manipulate me. Or take something away because it inconveniences you. [Which is very, very ironic. Because he could just ask nicely for anything, and Henry would do it.] I trust you more than that. So don't worry.
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Okay, okay. I get it. I've never done this before, can you tell?
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[His brow arches. Henry's ever "done this before" either, but mainly because he'd been trapped in a lab and a hellscape for a number of years.
And also because what well-adjusted person would want to date Henry Creel, Tentacle Monster.But he isn't sure what he expected from Alec, and he finds himself direly curious now.]no subject
[ He's a little baffled that it apparently wasn't obvious, but maybe it was only obvious to him in his own head. ]
I never really had the time or inclination for romance. People are— they're supposed to be traps, remember?
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I mean, just look at him.]
I remember. You must have disappointed a lot of people, then.
[You know, turning down the interest you can't convince him didn't exist, undoubtedly flung in Alec's direction. It's actually a little delightful to think about.]
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Better to get it over with early on.
[ Because the things Alec does, the type of person he is, will always prove to be a disappointment. To everyone but Henry, it seems. ]
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But they've seen each other's core, the insecurities that lie buried deep, deep beneath. He knows when he treads upon something a little less unsteady than the rest, purposeful or not.]
...If they can't appreciate every part of you [even the sharp edges, the ugliness, the anger] then yes. They're not worth the time.
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