Guess ‘hot goddamn mess’ is your type then (Got Weird - dodie)
Jamie thanks for the prompt - this one was fun :)
Henry is sitting by himself in the corner of yet another party Pez drug him to when he sees Alex across the room, which is no surprise. It’s inevitable that when they’re in the same room, his eyes will find Alex. Something about him lures Henry in, and he can’t resist the lingering looks he knows will someday be discovered by someone he’d rather not. Luckily, Pez is the one to stumble upon him almost literally, as he seems to be well on this way, quite sloshed.
“What are you doing in the corner, Haz? Are you not here to finally have some fun? You’ve been so boring and pining lately.”
“But, you admit to the boring thing?”
“Compared to you, my friend, everyone is boring,” Henry replies, still looking across the room where Alex stands, surrounded by other members of the lacrosse team. That’s part of the reason Henry stays on his side of the room, for a lax bro, someone like Henry would be boring, not that Alex seems to be the typical lax bro. Henry sees Pez follow his line of sight and sees the moment he figures out who he’s looking at. They watch as Alex is bumped, and the drink in his hand is spilled down the front of his shirt.
Pez turns back to him with a shit-eating grin, So I guess ‘hot goddamn mess’ is your type then. Maybe you should take this opportunity to help him out with that mess he seems to be wearing now, help him out of that soiled shirt. Perhaps even offer him the one off your own back. “
“Yes, you’re absolutely hilarious. Make fun of me and my silly crush.” Henry, no longer paying attention across the room, doesn’t realize that Alex has almost made it to their side of the room until he looks up and sees Alex grabbing the roll of paper towels off the counter by where they sit.
“A silly crush?” Henry wants to fall through the floor where he stands or meld into the wall behind him when he hears Alex ask the question. “Surely, anyone you have a crush on would return those feelings.”
Pez beats Henry to reply, which is probably good, as his tongue feels tangled in his mouth. “Alexander, it sucks to see that shirt of yours so thoroughly drenched. Can you use some assistance?”
“Hey, Pez, no, thanks, I’m good; it looks worse than it is, I think.” When Alex turns to him, Henry feels the breath catch in his throat, and the smile Alex sends his way makes his heart soar; he really has become the character in one of the romance novels he loves to read. Of course, those always work out, but he’s not so sure his situation will. He stops himself from getting lost down yet another trail of consciousness but realizes when he sees both Pez and Alex looking at him expectantly that he wasn’t quite quick enough for that.
“I’m sorry. Did I miss something?” The grin Pez gives him makes him nervous, more than he’ll willingly admit. He makes the mistake of looking into Alex’s eyes and nearly gets lost in the caramel pools, which seem as if they hold the secrets to the universe and so much mirth. Henry isn’t sure how anyone can be that happy.
“Our dear Alexander here was just asking what you were doing tomorrow?”
Alex’s head turns toward Pez, and the look of shock on his face is almost comical, “Um … not sure that’s what I said, but I guess … it’s probably what I was heading toward.” Alex runs his hand through his hair in a way that seems to be nervous. Henry’s not sure what Alex could possibly have to be nervous about.
“I’ll be studying in the library since someone decided they needed to drag me out tonight. I have a table I usually use —”
“In the back corner on the second floor. Yeah, I know where it is; if you’re all right with it, I’ll join you there tomorrow.” Alex looks down at the wet shirt still clinging to him, “I should probably do something about this. I’ll see you tomorrow, Henry. Later, Pez.” He does this salute with his fingers that should be anything but adorable, but Henry can’t help but find it just that.
After Alex is out of sight, Pez leans in and whispers, “Now, don’t blow it, or well, maybe you can blow him. He looks like he’d be great fun in bed. I expect to hear all the details. Now I’m off, as I’m sure you’re going to be heading off to dwell on how your study date will go.”
Pez is out of sight before Henry can rebuke the accusation or even counter that it’s not a study date, just two people studying. At least, he thinks that’s what it is. Maybe he needs to go home and think about his after all.
this can also be found on ao3
